


Emerald Rising: Book Three

by TheInkredibleKaptainKaiju



Series: The Elsewhere Saga [7]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Canon-adjacent, Gem Homeworld, Gen, kind of an AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 64,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24866491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheInkredibleKaptainKaiju/pseuds/TheInkredibleKaptainKaiju
Summary: Emerald and Goshenite were never Gems who could see eye-to-eye. And yet, something about the former Supreme Admiral's willingness to put everything on the line to protect her home resonated within the current Supreme General. Could she have been wrong about this Gem she called an off-color? Now, with Emerald permanently transformed, Goshenite will have to step up to face a threat the likes of which Homeworld has never seen before.
Series: The Elsewhere Saga [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1425562
Comments: 20
Kudos: 7





	1. Goshenite

**Author's Note:**

> Hey-O, it's part three! Now, I know some of you might be wondering, but yes, even though this is part three of Emerald Rising, Goshenite will be our main viewpoint character for this story. But anyways, I hope you enjoy!

**The Elsewhere Saga: Emerald Rising**

**Book Three: Resurgence**

Chapter One: Goshenite

\- - -

_ Homeworld, Capital District. Era 2, Year 4,725. _

The white Gem sighed. Try as she might, she found it impossible to reign in her comrades before her. Although she technically held sovereignty over this council, being White Diamond’s chosen Supreme General, the other Beryls refused to listen to her, no matter how loud she shouted. Most likely because they were shouting as well, too loud for her to be heard.

The circular table in between the five Gems bore a holographic image of several ships, shaped like giant knives. They seemed far too sharpened to be Gem vessels, and indeed they weren’t: these belonged to the Interlopers.

Homeworld had had many enemies over the eons, but few of them were as persistent as the Interlopers. Taking the form of an entire race of mechanical beings, they had been attempting to destroy all of Gemkind since the Earth War had ended. And no matter how many crippling blows had been dealt against their advance, they just kept on coming, their planet-sized base of operations, the Oculus, creeping ever closer to Homeworld. And, if Emerald was to be believed, they may have been behind the creation of Gemkind itself.

Emerald. The white Gem couldn’t help but groan as she stared at the empty seat across from her. Her relations with the green Gem had been...strained, but she had to admit, not having her around anymore was beginning to have an effect on morale. And her replacement was not helping matters.

“And for that matter, where is the Supreme Admiral?” asked the red Gem. Easily the largest of the five in the room, she was covered head-to-toe in armor, with her gemstone located on the palm of her left hand. “She was supposed to arrive twenty minutes ago!”

“She’s...busy,” said the pink Gem, searching for the right word. Dressed in a lavish ballgown, her gemstone was on the back of her right hand. “Apparently, her prize ship was stolen by a band of off-colored pirates, and she’s been chasing them all across Gem space trying to retrieve it.”

“All of that for a single ship?” said the yellow Gem. She was dressed in a labcoat, her short hair covering one of her eyes. Her gem was located on her chest. “Isn’t that sort of a waste of Homeworld’s resources? Why would the Diamonds approve that?”

“There are rumors that Rose Quartz is among the pirate crew,” said the blue Gem. She resembled a slightly-larger Aquamarine, and she wore a light blue kimono. A teardrop-shaped gem sat on her forehead. “Ever since she escaped all those months ago, they’ve been jumping at every opportunity to track her down, even ones with very little logical backing.”

“And why was I the only one not informed of this?” asked the red Gem after a slight pause.

“Because, Bixbite, you never read the briefings!” snapped the yellow Gem, Heliodor.

The white Gem finally spoke up, getting to her feet to do so. “That’s enough!” she said. She was a tall and slender figure, and something about her full form exuded authority. “If all we’re doing is arguing pointless semantics, we might as well not even be having this meeting at all!”

“Seconded!” said the pink Gem, whose name was Morganite. “This all feels a bit pointless if you ask me, dahlings. The current Supreme Admiral is shirking her duties, the Interlopers are drawing ever closer, and we cannot even decide on a simple course of action!”

“That isn’t what I meant,” growled the white Gem. “Yes, the current Emerald isn’t present. Yes, the Interlopers are mobilizing. But that is exactly why the five of us should be getting our act together! Now, can we  _ please _ focus for five minutes, and at least go over what little information we have?”

The other Gems looked around at each other. “Of course, Goshenite,” said the blue Gem, a Maxixe. “Please, proceed.”

“Gladly.” Goshenite pressed a key on the table, changing the display from that of several Interloper ships to an extended view of multiple galaxies. Roughly half of the map was tinted white, while the other half was tinted red. “Now...what you see here is the current state of Interloper-controlled territory. And this…” Pressing another button, a bright red dot appeared at the precipice of the two colors. It bore a resemblance to an eyeball. “Is where the Oculus is currently located. Just a few months ago, it’s advance on Homeworld was completely halted by Bixbite’s blockade.”

“Void yes it was,” the red Gem muttered.

Goshenite gave her a glance before continuing. “Anyway, recently, it has begun moving yet again. Slowly, but surely. Maxixe?”

“Of course.” She brought up a holoscreen, reading off of its contents. “Evidence suggests that the Oculus’ movement and the Interlopers’ increased tactical capabilities both coincided with one-another. Roughly three months ago, just as the Oculus broke through Bixbite’s defenses, we observed that the Interloper forces were acting far more strategic than they had been before. They hadn’t been acting this coordinated, in fact, since they first appeared after the Earth War.”

“I see. And what does this signify?” asked Goshenite.

“I can tell you that,” said Morganite. “Back then, the Interlopers were being led by individuals specifically selected to act as Generals, who oversaw their attack efforts. Selected by whom, we can only speculate, but the fact remains that it is highly likely that someone is back in command. Finding and destroying this individual is our best bet to slowing them down.”

“I have no interest in slowing them down!” said Bixbite. “What can be done to stop them entirely?”

“Bixbite, if we had a way to stop them once and for all, we would have used it by now,” Goshenite said.

“Er, I hate to interrupt,” said Heliodor, “but that isn’t...entirely true…”

All eyes were turned towards the yellow Gem. She looked around at her fellow Beryls, perturbed at the attention she was receiving. “Go on…” said Maxixe.

“Yes, please enlighten us,” said Goshenite. “You mean to say that you have some way of permanently destroying the Interlopers?”

“I...well…” Heliodor stammered. “The short answer is ‘yes,’ but--”

“Why didn’t you bring this up earlier?” asked Morganite, trying and failing to hide her exasperation.

“Everyone was yelling earlier!” she said. “And besides, My Diamond informed me that this project is strictly on a need-to-know basis.”

“Heliodor, as this involves the future of the entire Empire, I think that qualifies as ‘need-to-know,’” said Maxixe.

“Sorry…” Heliodor said quietly. “I can’t give you any more details unless My Diamond approves.”

“Hmmph. So much for  _ this _ strategic meeting,” Morganite said huffily. “If we don’t have anything else to discuss, may we please wrap this up?”

Goshenite was about to say something to object, but could think of nothing. If nobody had anything to say about the current situation, then pointlessly arguing about nothing wouldn’t do any good. Not that it would do any good if they did. “Very well,” she said. “I see no point in continuing. We will continue this at a later date.”

She had more she wanted to say, but once all the others stood up to leave, she decided against it. Goshenite stayed seated as the other Gems shambled out the door. Only Bixbite remained, who turned around before she left to offer a few comforting words to her friend.

“Worry not, Goshenite,” she said. “We have held our own against the Interlopers for thousands of years. Homeworld is mighty; I’m sure we have what it takes to destroy them for good.”

“But how can you be certain?” said Goshenite. “The Oculus is getting closer by the day. We don’t have any weapons that can stand against it. We can’t hold them off forever.”

Bixbite had never seen her friend so disheartened before. She struggled to find her words for a moment. “True,” she was able to say eventually, “but what of the Cluster? Or this new project Heliodor spoke of?”

“I’m starting to believe the Cluster is a lost cause,” Goshenite said solemnly. “It is too far beyond schedule; I’m beginning to suspect it may never emerge. As for Heliodor’s project...you may be right. All we can do is hope whatever she is working on is capable of dealing a critical blow to their forces.”

“Indeed!” affirmed Bixbite. “ _ Adamantem in Eternum _ .”

“ _ Adamantem in Eternum _ .”

Bixbite then stepped out, leaving Goshenite behind. The white Beryl sat still in her chair, leaning back ever so slightly. She uttered a heavy sigh--keeping morale up in these trying times was taxing beyond belief. She knew that this was technically Morganite’s job, but as Supreme General of Homeworld, she nevertheless felt that protecting her planet was her responsibility. And while it certainly was, she worried that doing so was detrimental to her own wellbeing. It was exhausting, in any case.

\- - -

_ Goshenite’s Residence. Minutes Later. _

The door to her home slid open, and the white Gem slowly stepped through. With her eyes closed, she navigated through the building purely on memory--not that this was difficult, as she did not have too much in the way of furniture. A few tables or places to sit here and there, but the place was mostly empty. The colors were similarly stark, with only whites, greys, and blacks covering the walls and floors.

Gems, being inorganic beings requiring little more than cosmic energy absorbed by their gemstones to function, did not need sleep. Despite this, it was entirely possible for them to become exhausted due to overwork, like Goshenite currently was. Over the past few months, she had been working tirelessly, doing everything in her power to ensure that Homeworld and its territories were kept safe from Interloper attack. Even if that meant personally flying or warping to every single colony, outpost, or research station that was possibly at risk.

Goshenite needed a pick-me-up, and that was exactly what she was going to get. She strolled into an adjacent room, where a large, smooth countertop sat in the center, and several windows overlooked the city just outside. Leaning against the perfect rectangle, Goshenite pressed her hand down on a spot near one of its corners; from a circular indentation that formed, a hidden canister rose up, containing several metallic cylinders. Whatever was inside of them emitted a dull but harsh buzzing, like an old lightbulb.

Goshenite removed one of the cylinders from its container, but something to her side caught her eye: a brief flicker of light, reflecting off of something brownish-orange in color. She knew all too well that nothing in her home was normally that color, so it could only be one thing. She removed a second cylinder.

“You know,” she said seemingly to nobody, walking over to a window, “when you leave your gem exposed like that, I can still see you.” No answer. In fact, it seemed that there was nobody around to answer. Despite this, Goshenite tossed one of the cylinders over her shoulder in the direction she had seen the flicker.

Rather than collide with the wall and clatter to the floor, the cylinder suddenly stopped in midair. With it, the object that had reflected the light in the first place also appeared: a light brown gemstone shaped like a hexagon, seemingly floating in midair.

The origin of both of these happenings was revealed when a figure began to appear. A ripple of light appeared first at her hand, travelling down the rest of her until her entire form was visible. This new Gem stood only slightly shorter and slightly less slender than Goshenite, and had skin only a slight bit darker brown than her gemstone. Her light grey hair curled down to her shoulders, on the left of which her gemstone was placed. A blue diamond emblem was located on her chest. “Aw, man! I was trying to surprise you!”

“You didn’t fail in that regard,” Goshenite said, her gaze still on the city’s skyline. “I was not expecting a visitor. How did you manage to get past my security?”

The brown Gem strolled closer to Goshenite, pulling up a seat next to the counter. “Oh, Topaz let me in,” she said. “I just told her I wanted to see you.”

“Figures,” mumbled Goshenite. She twisted the top of the cylinder in her hand, which caused a dull green glow to emanate from inside. She held the glowing canister up to the gem on her lower back, and immediately seemed to become more relaxed. “Aah… Now, what exactly is the purpose of your intrusion, Cairngorm? Or, excuse me, your ‘visit?’”

“I just wanted to see you!” the Gem called Cairngorm said. “Why, can’t a Gem come and say hey to her best bud every once and awhile?”

“Cairngorm, I wouldn’t exactly describe us as ‘best buds,’” Goshenite said. “Besides, we don’t even belong to the same court. Speaking of which, I would have thought Maxixe needed all of her spies in the field at a time like this.”

Cairngorm’s playful and jovial demeanor suddenly shifted into one much more somber. “Goshenite, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even be here right now. I’ll never forget what you did for me back on Alboreas, and I’ll always be grateful to you. My Maxixe can afford to wait for me for a few minutes.”

“Whatever you say,” groaned Goshenite. She placed the cylinder, which had apparently been drained of its contents, on the counter, before removing another one from the canister. “Would you like another?”

“Naw, too much radiation gives me a headache,” said Cairngorm, holding the glowing cylinder up to her gemstone. “But anyway, are you going to be going on any missions soon?”

Goshenite took a seat. “Nowadays, you can consider me always on a mission,” she said. I’m never between missions, merely on a short break.”

“Wow. You’re really a hard worker, you know that?”

The white Gem held the cylinder up to her gemstone for a few moments, before glancing out the window again. “Someone has to…” she growled. 


	2. Remembering the Past, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite leaves on a mission, but not before bringing someone along with her.

Chapter Two: Remembering the Past, Part 1

\- - -

“Topaz,” said Goshenite, appearing on the ground floor of her complex. Her tone was not one of annoyance, but it was similarly stern. “There was an unexpected visitor today in my home.”

A huge scarlet Gem stood guard by the door of the building. Her gemstone was on her stomach, and her eyes were concealed behind a reflective visor. “So, you found her out, huh?”

Goshenite beckoned for Topaz to follow her as she strolled out into the street. “Not that it was very hard,” she said. “She is quite inexperienced with her powers. She will need to train harder to be able to use them effectively.”

“I’m right here, you know!” Goshenite and Topaz turned around to see a gemstone floating in midair behind them. The rest of Cairngorm’s body then became visible, as she stared at Goshenite with a hurt expression.

“I am aware,” the white Gem said. “And I mean what I said. Now if you’ll excuse us, I have an assignment I have to meet.”

“Oh, is this that peace conference I heard about?” said Cairngorm. “Can I come too? I’ve always wanted to go to an asteroid.”

“Absolutely not,” said Goshenite. “Only authorized personnel are allowed. And it’s not a peace conference, it’s a meeting between some of Yellow Diamond’s top agents. And because the current Supreme Admiral is...busy, I will be going in her stead. For that matter, how did you even find out about this?” She shook her head, remembering that Cairngorm was a spy. “Nevermind, stupid question. You can’t go.”

“Again with you and Emerald,” said Cairngorm. “Sometimes I get the feeling you like her more than you like me!”

“I like neither of you,” Goshenite groaned. “Topaz, please escort Cairngorm back to Maxixe. I have something I need to see to before we leave.”

“Of course, My Goshenite,” said Topaz, ushering the small Quartz in another direction. Goshenite headed off towards the Aquarius Sector, trying to ignore Cairngorm’s pitiful protests. What she had said earlier, about liking neither her nor Emerald--it wasn’t untrue, but it wasn’t the whole truth, either. Cairngorm could be unbearable at times, but she truly did mean well. As for Emerald, she and Goshenite had been enemies for centuries, and only the invasion of the Interlopers had begun to smooth their feelings for one another over. Goshenite hated to admit when she was wrong...but if ever she came close, it would be her initial judgement of the former Supreme Admiral.

The more she thought about it, the more those two Gems reminded her of the other.

\- - -

_ Aquarius Sector, Emerald’s Residence. _

Goshenite approached Emerald’s dwelling, which she noticed looked surprisingly well-kept for being abandoned. Perhaps ‘abandoned’ is the wrong word--Emerald still lived there, she was just in no condition to maintain her household. Few Gems outside of the Council of Beryls and their immediate subordinates knew of her true fate, however. To many of the Gems that knew her outside of these, her condition was to be kept under wraps by order of Yellow Diamond, so as to prevent unrest among the populace. Goshenite was hard-pressed to agree.

She entered the building to find out just why the home was so immaculate: two Gems stood in the central chamber, cleaning out the room. A huge black Quartz, as well as a deep blue Peridot-sized Gem. Goshenite recognized them as two of Emerald’s associates, waiting for them to notice her before she spoke up.

“Place the decorative statues in storage for now,” said the smaller of the two. “As for the paintings, you can--oh, greetings, Goshenite. I did not hear you enter.”

“Hello, Tanzanite,” Goshenite said, trying to sound cordial. “Onyx. And what are the two of you doing here?”

“Evening, Gosh!” said the larger Gem. “Well, Tanz here thought it’d be nice to get this place cleaned up a little.”

“It did not feel right to leave Pearl to take care of all of this by herself,” Tanzanite said.

“Yeah,” Onyx added. “Emerald’ll be happy to see it so nice once she’s all better again.”

“...Indeed.” Goshenite felt that their optimism was foolish, but she didn’t want to impose. Besides, Emerald had managed to come back from the brink once before, so who was really to say she couldn’t do it again? “Speaking of which, where is the little one?”

“She is downstairs, spending time with Emerald,” Tanzanite said. “Oh! Is it time for the conference already?”

“Mmm,” Goshenite said, heading for the basement. “You two...er...keep up the good work up here.” With that, she descended into the lower levels of Emerald’s dwelling.

The white Beryl descended the dark stairwell through the darkness, towards a light emanating from the basement. She could hear the pink Gem speaking before she could see her; Goshenite reached the bottom, and was greeted by the sight of Pearl speaking to Emerald. The latter was sealed behind a glass barrier that sealed off half of the room. She looked nothing like she had when Goshenite first met her: due to an accident during the Earth War, she had been transformed into a terrible beast. Although she looked quite monstrous, she seemed rather docile at the time, leaning on the glass as though she and Pearl were side-by-side.

“Hello, Pearl,” Goshenite said, trying to mimic how Emerald herself had sounded when speaking to the pink Gem.

Pearl gasped lightly in surprise, turning to face her visitor. “Hello, Miss Goshenite,” she said. Emerald turned her head towards Goshenite as well: luckily, she did not take her for a hostile. “How are you? It’s been a while since we spoke.”

“I’ve been...fine,” Goshenite answered. “You’ve been well, I assume? It can’t be easy living all on your lonesome after what you’ve been through.”

“Oh, but I haven’t been alone,” Pearl said, gesturing to the wall behind her. “Emerald is here. Even though she can’t speak, she can still listen.”

“Is that so?” Goshenite said. Initially, she had just said it to humor the Pearl, but as she looked deeper into Emerald’s countless eyes, sure she could detect some tiny spark of her old self within the body of this monster. Emerald’s spike-studded tail swung to and fro, as if she recognized Goshenite.”

“Mmhmm,” Pearl said with a nod. “Plus, Onyx and Tanzanite come to visit me often. Nines and Tenrit, too.”

“Nines and Tenrit…” said Goshenite, trying to remind herself who those two were. “Ah, the Citrine and her organic friend, right?” Pearl nodded. “Of course, of course. I’ll be ready to leave whenever you are, so just let me know.”

“Leave?” Pearl asked.

“Don’t you remember?” said Goshenite. “The strategy meeting on Chiron Beta Prime is today. You made me promise to take you.”

Pearl immediately lit up upon receiving this news. “Oh, of course! Wow, that’s today? Where does the time go?” She hurried over to the glass, placing her hand on it. Emerald did the same with one of her claws. “Bye, My Emerald! I’ll be back in a bit! We don’t want Goshenite to be late for her meeting!” The small Pink Gem then bounded up the stairs, giving one last glance to Emerald before she was gone.

“Wow. That one can be a bundle of energy when she wants to,” Goshenite said. She began to walk towards the stairs, but something caused her to turn back. Emerald was sitting up now, her eyes fixed on her former frenemy. “What?”

There it was again. Ever since she knew what had happened to her, Goshenite assumed that Emerald was transformed into a feral monster. But whether or not that was the case, she recognized those eyes. And she knew that those eyes recognized her. Pearl was right: Emerald was still in there.

“I, uh…” Goshenite wasn’t really sure what to say. Reassurance was never her strong suit. “You’ll...be back to your old self in no time. And, um, I’ll take care of the little one. You have my word.”

The creature that had been Emerald seemed satisfied by this. She yawned, lying back down on the floor. Goshenite walked up the stairs after Pearl. And whether or not what she had said to Emerald was true, she now believed it.

\- - -

Every great commander of Homeworld’s military had to have a flagship: the shining jewel of their fleet. It wasn’t a rule per se, but it was a tradition. There were exceptions, of course, but they were few and far between. The Emerald that currently served as Supreme Admiral previously had the  _ Sun Incinerator _ , and after that one was stolen, the  _ Destiny Destroyer _ . Emerald the former Supreme Admiral had the  _ Soul Evaporator _ . And though she didn’t use it much, Goshenite had the  _ Xenocide _ .

Although Goshenite’s specialty was leading her armies from the ground, the  _ Xenocide _ had served her well. It was a Class-4 dreadnought, armed with twin repulsor cannons, omni-polymer hull, ninth-generation warp drive, and top-of-the-line deflector shielding. Only the best for Homeworld’s Supreme general.

“Commander on deck!” announced Topaz as Goshenite made her entrance. Pearl stood by her side, taking a seat beside her as the white Gem sat down in her captain’s chair. “All hands are ready for launch, My Goshenite.”

“Very good, Topaz,” Goshenite replied. “Prepare for takeoff.”

At her command, the  _ Xenocide _ ’s engines fired up. Generators hummed and thrusters flamed as the vessel was brought up into the sky. With a resounding boom, its twin thrusters burst to life, carrying it out into space.

Once clear of Homeworld’s atmosphere, the warp drive sprang to life. A distortion in space-time appeared in front of the ship, creating a personalized wormhole for it to be carried through. The  _ Xenocide _ vanished, off into the far reaches of the universe.


	3. Emergency Landing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pearl joins Goshenite on a trip to the asteroid mine Chiron Beta Prime, and meets up with a few of her old friends while she's there.

Chapter Three: Emergency Landing

\- - -

_Chiron Beta Prime._

One of possibly hundreds of asteroid mines owned by Yellow Diamond, Chiron Beta Prime was also the site of an annual strategy conference between several high-class Gems in the sector. Usually, the Emerald that served as the Supreme Admiral was required to oversee the proceedings, but as the current one was busy chasing down a gang of rogue Gems that had stolen her prized starship, Goshenite had volunteered to attend in her stead.

“Okay, because you’re here with me, you’ve been given free reign of the above-ground facilities,” Goshenite explained to Pearl. The two stepped down the ramp of the _Xenocide_ onto the asteroid’s surface, accompanied by Topaz and flanked by a troop of Milky Quartzes. “You sure you’re okay running around unattended?”

“I’ll be fine!” Pearl assured her. “I’m much more independent than I used to be.”

“That’s good,” Goshenite said. The group approached the central hall, from which the materials mined up from within the asteroid were counted and distributed. Many ships were already present, indicating that the conference was about to begin. If it hadn’t already. “This should only take about an hour or two. Keep yourself occupied until then.”

“Will do,” Topaz said.

“Not you!” replied Goshenite. “You’re standing guard.”

“Like this place needs guards,” Topaz mumbled. “Even if it did, you have more than enough Quartzes!” Goshenite ignored her remarks, stepping through into the next room, where the meeting had already begun. Topaz turned to Pearl; “Well, that’s that, I guess. Try and stay out of trouble!”

“Don’t worry, I will!” said Pearl. The pink Gem waved to Topaz as she clambered off through the hallways of the facility.

Although the rooms of this asteroid mine were well-lit, the distance from any star gave the impression that it was constantly night. Pearl was unbothered by this; in fact, she found this place rather pretty. She passed by various Agates and Jades as she roamed, the sounds of Ambers toiling away in the mines travelling up to the surface as Bismuths carted up ores and minerals to be processed.

This was not the reason Pearl had requested to be taken along to this asteroid. Because this was where the meeting between many of Yellow Diamond’s top agents, it of course meant that they would be bringing their Pearls with them. And some of these Pearls she was familiar with.

After a few minutes of searching for them, Pearl finally found who she was looking for. A trio of Pearls stood at the far end of a room, talking amongst themselves. “Oh, hello!” Pearl exclaimed, waving as she hurried towards them.

“Well, look who it is!” said one of the Pearls, a light shade of green in color. The two Pearls embraced when they reached one another. “Glad you could make it, girl!”

“I am, too!” said the pink Pearl. “Once I heard you all would be here, I begged Goshenite to bring me along.”

“No! The Supreme General?” said another Pearl, this one colored baby blue. “You never told us you belonged to her!”

“That’s because I don’t,” Pearl clarified. “My actual owner is...well, she couldn’t make it today. But she does know Goshenite, which is how I know her.”

“She must be very important to be acquainted with the Supreme General,” said the third Pearl, who was bright scarlet.

“Oh, she is,” Pearl answered. “Or, she was… But let’s not dwell on that right now! I’m so glad we’re able to see each other again! I’m relieved you were able to make it off of Moridius okay!”

“I’m surprised _you’re_ okay!” said the green Pearl. “What exactly happened after you left? Where did you go?”

“I, um…” As much as Pearl wanted to tell them of her exploits, and as much as she trusted these three, she felt it wouldn’t be such a good idea to tell them she had fused with her Emerald. “Well…”

“She ran away, that’s what she did!” Another voice, one Pearl also recognized, came from behind her. She turned around; it was another Pearl, this one pitch black in color. More specifically, her Gem, clothing, and hair were all black, while her skin was dark grey. “After all that bluster about fighting for Homeworld, all she did was run.”

“Oh, you again,” Pearl said. She sounded more surprised to see Black Pearl, rather than angry at her remarks. “You’re here as well?”

“Of course I am,” she said, as though it should have been obvious. “All of our Jades are, so obviously we’d be here as well!”

“Pearl, drop it!” said the green Pearl, clearly not in the mood for her fellow Pearl’s attitude. “You don’t know that.”

“How else could she be alive?” the black Pearl said. “Do you honestly believe she could survive an encounter with the Interlopers?”

“Didn’t she have a blaster with her?” said the blue Pearl.

“That’s right!” Pearl said. “My master gave it to me, so I could protect myself.”

Black Pearl rolled her eyes. “Fat lot of good that did you,” she said. “What, did you liberate the whole of Moridius on your own?”

 _No, Emerald was with me!_ Pearl wanted to exclaim. But for her own good, she figured it would be best to remain silent.

“Ah, that’s enough out of you!” said the red Pearl. She ushered her pink friend away from Black Pearl, the green and blue ones following. Black Pearl simply turned up her nose and walked over to her own group of Pearls; two of them, mocha and silver in color.

“Don’t let her bother you, hon,” said the green Pearl. “She just thinks she’s better than everyone else because her Jade always brags about her pedigree.”

“It’s fine, really,” said Pearl.

“Hey,” said the blue Pearl, trying to change the subject to something more pleasant. “Want to see something cool?”

Pearl was instantly intrigued. “What is it?” she asked.

The green Pearl snickered. “Pearl, you’ve been going on and on about this little secret of yours since we got here! Is it really all that?”

“It is!” the blue Pearl said, taking off into the distance. “Come on, I’ll show you!” The other three Pearls followed after her.

She led them towards a large tower; Pearl instantly recognized it as the command station for this outpost. This was where every ship had to check in before landing. “Is this the place?” she asked.

“Yeah, but come over here!” said the blue Pearl. They all convened towards the back of the tower, where none of the other Gems could see them. Not that they would have paid any mind to a few Pearls, though. “Here, look at this!”

A panel at the tower’s base was torn loose, creating an opening large enough for a Pearl to crawl through. “Pearl, did you do this?” asked the green one, accusation in her voice.

“No, of course not!” the blue Pearl said. “Okay, maybe a little.” Both the green and red Pearls raised an eyebrow. “Alright, yes I did! But the panel was already loose! I just pried it loose! I was following her example!” She pointed at the pink Pearl.

“Don’t try and blame this on her!” said the green Pearl.

“I’m not! I’m just saying that--nevermind, just follow me!” With that, the blue Pearl crouched down and entered through the panel. “The cool thing is through here!”

Pearl, with her natural curiosity, was the first to enter. She was excited to see what could possibly be hidden within. The red Pearl followed behind her, with the green Pearl bringing up the rear, skeptical of the whole endeavor.

The hole appeared to lead into the tower’s ventilation systems. The four Pearls crawled through the ducts, climbing higher and higher to the very top. “Okay, make sure to keep quiet from here on,” warned the blue Pearl. “We’re not supposed to be up here.”

“Then why _are_ we up here?” the green Pearl hissed.

“Because it’s neat!” answered the blue Pearl.

Soon enough, they arrived at the tower’s top. A vent was located at the back of the room, allowing the Pearls to peer into it. A single Peridot manned the numerous computer terminals within.

“See? Look at all this!” whispered the blue Pearl. “Every ship that passes through this sector shows up on one of those screens. Nothing even gets near this station without her knowing about it!”

“Wow. That’s a lot of responsibility,” Pearl said.

“Is this really it?” asked the red Pearl. “This is all you wanted to show us?”

“What?” replied the blue Pearl. “There isn’t a lot to do here. It gets boring, so sometimes I have to invent my own entertainment.”

“Whatever,” said the green Pearl. “If this is all, can we go back before we get in trouble?”

“I don’t think there’s any harm in staying,” said Pearl. “That Peridot can’t see us up here. And even if she did, what’s the harm in us staying up here?”

“‘What’s the harm?’” repeated her blue friend. “The harm is that we’re Pearls. If we get caught being somewhere we’re not supposed to be, we could get in serious trouble!”

“But...surely this can’t be that serious,” Pearl answered.

The green Pearl looked at her, pity in her eyes. “Hon…”

Before she could continue, the Peridot within the control center began moving. “Shush, she’s doing something!” said the blue Pearl.

It soon became apparent that a ship had entered Chiron Beta Prime’s airspace. “Attention vessel, this is the Chiron Beta Prime control tower,” the Peridot said into her radio. “Identify yourself to be cleared for landing.”

“Greetings, Chiron Beta Prime,” a voice responded. It was slightly staticky, but the Pearls could just barely make it out. “This is Sapphire, um...Facet 2X7 Cut 8I aboard the _Sun Incinerator_. Our ship has sustained heavy damage, and we are requesting landing permission for emergency repairs.”

“Understood, Your Clarity” the Peridot said. She pressed a few buttons on the terminal in front of her. “You are cleared for landing at dock seven. Engineers will be sent to you to assist.”

“Thank you, command, but that won’t be necessary,” the Sapphire responded. “We already have a repair crew onboard. We only require a few parts.”

Pearl could tell that the Peridot was skeptical, but she agreed anyway. “Very well, Your Clarity. Out.” The transmission ended.

“Ooh, a Sapphire!” said the red Pearl. “I’ve always wanted to meet one. I heard they can tell you your future!”

“Maybe not _your_ future specifically, but they can indeed see into the future,” said the green Pearl.

“Well, you all wanted excitement, right?” said the blue Pearl. “Come on, let’s go and say hi!” Before anyone could respond, she had already begun her descent.

“Pearl, hang on!” said the green Pearl. But her blue friend was already gone. She groaned; “Honestly!”

“I think that sounds like a good idea!” said Pearl. “Shall we?”

“Yes, let’s!” said the red Pearl. The two of them looked at the green Pearl to see if she had any objections. When none came, they all headed towards dock seven.

“How do you think their ship got damaged?” asked Pearl as they walked.

“Who knows?” replied the green Pearl. “Maybe they ran into some Interlopers. Or maybe they went through an asteroid field.”

“Maybe we can ask them,” suggested the blue Pearl.

While the other three talked, Pearl pondered something in her head. The _Sun Incinerator_ : that was a name she had heard before. But where? Maybe she had overheard it from Emerald somewhere.

“Ooh, there it is!” said the red Pearl. Standing just beyond dock seven, they were given a clear view of the ship. It even _looked_ familiar to Pearl, too. Where did she know this ship from?

The ship’s occupants soon emerged to greet the small group of Bismuths waiting for them on the platform. A pair of Ruby guards went first, followed by the Sapphire. She was accompanied by a Pearl of her own: this one was also pink, only her gemstone was on her chest.

“Hey, she sort of looks like me!” Pearl observed.

“She does,” said the green Pearl. “But I wonder why she’s with that Sapphire. I figured a Sapphire would want a Pearl the same color as her.”

“Maybe they met somewhere else, and she took her in,” Pearl suggested. After all, she knew from experience that this was a possibility.

Though they couldn’t hear what was being said, the Sapphire was conversing with the Bismuths. Soon, the larger Gems walked away, leaving the owner of the _Sun Incinerator_ behind.

“Hmm. Is it just me, or does she seem nervous?” said the blue Pearl, referring to the Sapphire’s Pearl.

“It’s likely,” said the green Pearl. There was a touch of cynicism in her voice.

“Hang on, they all do,” observed the red Pearl. “The Sapphire and her Rubies, too. I wonder why?”

“I suppose there’s no harm in asking,” said Pearl. “Come on, let’s go say hello!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all. Sorry I haven't been posting as often as I usually do. It's not that I'm losing interest in these stories or anything, it's just that I've had some bad writer's block lately. But I can assure you, even if this story is a bit slow coming out, you can bet I'm still doing my best to get it out to you! Anyway, that'll be all for now. Stay tuned!


	4. Tensions Rise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pearls go to greet a newly-arrived group of Gems. Little do they know, these Gems are hiding quite a dangerous secret...

Chapter Four: Tensions Rise

\- - -

“Hrmm,” groaned one of the Rubies by the Sapphire’s side. “How long do we have to stay like this?”

“Not much longer, just keep still,” the Sapphire whispered back to her. “We just need to wait until we’re back on the ship.”

“Then let’s get back on, right now!” replied the Ruby.

I don’t think that would be such a good idea,” mumbled the other Ruby. “The last thing we want right now is to draw any attention to ourselves.”

“Hello there!”

All four Gems jumped at this shout. Apparently, they weren’t as inconspicuous as they had believed. They turned to see four more Gems, Pearls of all different colors, all heading towards them.

“What do we do now!?” whispered the second Ruby, the panic in her voice clear.

“Just act natural,” said the Pearl near her, inching slightly closer. “They seem friendly, at least.”

The other four Pearls made their way over to the crew of the ship. The first was baby blue, and was the one who called out to them. “Hi, welcome to CBP! How are you liking it so far?”

“It is...very nice,” said the Sapphire. “From what I have seen in the short time of being here, at least.”

“Pearl, you can’t keep running off like that!” This was said by a green Pearl as the other three of them approached. “I apologize for her impulsiveness, Your Clarity.” She bowed to the Sapphire. “She gets like this whenever she’s bored, which is almost all the time.”

“No need to apologize,” the Sapphire said. “I am glad to have someone to speak to while we wait.”

The pink Pearl stepped up to the other pink Pearl. Despite the former’s warm smile, the latter still seemed quite nervous. “So, your ship took quite a beating, huh?” she said, trying to make friendly conversation. “What happened?”

“Um...well...I, er, we…”

“Asteroid field!” blurted out one of the Rubies, the one with her gem on her belly. “Yeah, we ran into some asteroids on our way back to Homeworld. They came outta nowhere!”

“Hmm. I suspected so,” said the green Pearl.

The Sapphire nodded. “Yes. We are lucky most of the damage was to internal systems. Hopefully, the repairs will be completed soon, and we’ll be able to  _ get back on the ship _ and leave.”

The gang of Pearls took notice of her emphatic delivery, but collectively decided to let it be. “So...Your Clarity, I’ve never had the grace of meeting a Sapphire in real life before!” said the red Pearl. “They say you can see the future!”

“Indeed we can,” the Sapphire said. “Right now, our future involves us fixing the ship and going home.  _ And nothing else _ .”

By now, it was clear that she was trying to send a message to someone. Most likely someone still on the ship. “Er, Sapph--I mean, Your Clarity?” said Pearl. “Is everything alright? You seem troubled.”

“I am just fine,” Sapphire said. “What would give you that idea?”

“Well, it’s just that you’re freezing the floor.”

Sapphire looked down, startled to see that a thick layer of ice was gathering over her legs and spreading to the ground. “Oh, yes, that,” she said, trying to hide her alarm as she broke through it. “That has been known to happen from time to time, nothing to worry about. Especially if  _ Steven would stay on the ship _ !”

“Wha?” said the blue Pearl. “What’s a Stee-van?”

At that moment, something fell through the open door of the  _ Sun Incinerator _ , crying out in alarm as it did so. The four Pearls were startled by this curious new visitor, while the four Gems who had come from the ship seemed to be in shock.

Although she remained just as stoic as ever, the Sapphire looked mortified. Well, as mortified as she could look while showing no outward emotion. “Oh, stars. We’re in this one.”

The green and blue Pearls inched over to get a better look. “Is that...an organic?” said the green one.

Indeed it was. Beige in color, with a net of black hair, the short, squat being also wore several cloth garments of varying colors. Most notably, its midsection appeared to be entirely red, with a yellow five-pointed star on its chest. “Uh, hi there!” it said. “Sorry to, er, drop in, heh, but I just wanted to hear what was going on!”

“I didn’t know organics could talk,” said the blue Pearl, quietly.

Pearl was the one least taken-aback by the organic, even stepping closer to examine it. “Pearl, don’t do that!” chided the green Pearl. “It could be dangerous!”

“He’s completely harmless!” the Sapphire said quickly, almost too quickly.

“...Hi!” Pearl said after a brief pause. The organic waved in response. “Oh, I think I get it!” she said, turning to face Sapphire. “This organic is your pet, isn’t it?”

Sapphire opened her mouth to answer, but the organic replied first. “Yup! That’s me! Me and Sapphire go everywhere together, but it’s a secret, so don’t tell anyone!”

“Oh, how lovely!” Pearl said, reaching out a hand to help the organic to his feet. Surprised by this gesture, he took it. “You know, My Emerald has a pet organic as well. Actually, he’s more of a friend, but I think that still counts. His name is Tenrit, and--”

“I’ve never seen an organic like this before,” said the green Pearl, interrupting her friend’s monologue. “What kind is he?”

“He’s Steven…” the Sapphire said. The Pearls only continued looking at her, waiting for further explanation.

“Yeah, that’s what she calls me,” the organic said. “It’s my nickname. I’m, uh, a Steven...opian. I’m a Stevenopian, from the planet...Thrae.”

“I’ve never heard of that place, either,” said the green Pearl.

“Yeah, he must be very exotic!” added the blue one.

“Yes, well, it was a pleasure to make all of your acquaintances, but we must be going now,” said the Sapphire, trying to usher everyone back onto her ship. “Thank you for your time, I enjoyed your planet very much, and--”

“Hold it!”

All eight Gems froze. When they realized that the voice was serious, they turned in the direction it had come from. To Pearl’s surprise, and most likely the Sapphire’s horror, a small group of Agates was walking towards them. And among them was none other than Goshenite.

“Oh, crack,” whispered one of the Rubies. “What do we do now?”

“Don’t worry, Sapphire will think of something,” said the pink Pearl. “Right, Sapphire?” The blue Gem, however, was beginning to freeze up again.

Once the group reached the ship, one of the Agates pointed it out to Goshenite. “There. This is the one.”

Goshenite stepped forwards, clearly not wanting to be here. “Okay. Alright. My friends here tell me that your ship came in for repairs not long ago. Is this correct?” The Rubies, Pearl, and Sapphire all nodded wordlessly. Pearl noticed that they were hiding the organic behind them. “Very good. And is it also correct that your ship is designated as the  _ Sun Incinerator _ ?”

“I...Yes, it is,” said the Sapphire.

Goshenite briefly turned back to the Agates. “I had to get up for  _ this _ ?” She sighed. “Right. Well, as you probably know, this ship has been reported stolen.”

“Impossible,” the Sapphire said. “I reported no such thing. As you can see, I still have it right here with me.”

“Mhmm,” Goshenite said, nodding. “And tell me, what exactly possessed you to take the ship belonging to the  _ current Supreme Admiral of Homeworld _ out for a little joyride?”

A brief pause. “Shoot,” whispered one of the Rubies.

“That’s what I thought,” Goshenite said. “Well, that’s done with. Just bubble them for now, and I’ll deal with this later.” As she went to walk away, two of the Agates produced destabilizers, activating them and stepping over to the thieves.

“Hold it!” As one of the Agates made a thrust with the destabilizer, a shape from behind the Gems ran up in front of them. He caught the weapon in his hand, its energy having no effect on his organic body. “Don’t...do that!”

“What is this, now?” Goshenite said. She held out her arm, making sure that the four Pearls were behind her. “I didn’t realize Chiron Beta Prime had an infestation…”

Suddenly, a flash of light overtook the landing pad. When it ceased, the four Gems were gone, replaced with two. One, with four eyes and arms, nervously slunk behind the other, a much more imposing figure who covered her eyes with a dark visor. “Steven is  _ twice _ the Gem you’ll  _ ever _ be,” said Garnet.

“Fusions!” said Goshenite. She tried to sound cordial, but Pearl could detect a hint of malice in her voice. “No wonder you tried to get away so fast! You’re not just thieves, you’re off-colors as well!”

“What did we stumble into?” whispered the green Pearl.

“Don’t call them that!” said the tiny organic. “They’re Gems, just like all of you!”

“I’m not even going to dignify that with a response,” Goshenite said, gesturing for the Agates to surround them. “You four, get out of here,” she said to the Pearls. “Everyone else, get ready.”

“Wait!” Another voice called out from inside the ship. Or rather, two voices. The source of the voice made herself visible: she was a Rutile, but her torso was split down the middle, resulting in her looking like two Rutiles with one arm each from the waist up. “We don’t have to fight! Can’t we work something out?”

Many of the Agates recoiled when the twinned Rutile made her appearance. Goshenite, however, was more concerned with something else. “How many more of you  _ are _ there?”

“Rutile, wait, get back on the ship!” Another figure appeared. This one resembled no known Gem, but had bright pink skin and hair, and wore quite a nice cape, if Pearl was being honest with herself. “Ooh...that  _ is _ a lot of Agates…”

“And what even  _ is _ that!?” said Goshenite. “Is it a Gem? Organic? What do you do on that ship, anyway?”

“Everyone, look out!” Yet another figure appeared from the ship; a Padparadscha Sapphire. “We’re about to be attacked! Get to safety before Goshenite shows up!”

“What the void is going on here!” Goshenite exclaimed, looking from the newcomers to the ship and back a few times. “It’s like a Spinel car of off-colors!” She looked around. “Is there a hidden camera somewhere!?”

“Hoooold iiiit!” At long last, the final crew member appeared: a truly massive fusion, made up of at least five Gems, maybe more. “Dooooon’t huuuurt myyyyy frieeeends!”

Goshenite stared at the unlikely crew for a few moments, before finally giving up. “Alright, frack it. Attack!”

The Agates converged on the off-colors. Goshenite felt sure that they would be able to handle the ragtag band of pirates, and so she went over to the four Pearls instead, corralling them away from the fighting. “What are you doing, consorting with criminals!?” she asked Pearl.

“I didn’t know they were off-colors!” exclaimed Pearl. “And besides, they weren’t doing anything wrong!”

“Yeah, tell that to Emerald…” grumbled Goshenite. “I--what!?”

Much to the white Beryl’s surprise, the off-colors were actually holding their own against the numerous Agates. The organics, unsurprisingly, were unaffected by the destabilizers they held, meaning they were easily dealt with by one of the fusions. She had summoned a pair of gauntlets onto her hands, and she was now making her way over to Goshenite. Her dark glasses covered her eyes, but given her purposeful stride, it wouldn’t be a wild guess to assume she wore a scowl beneath them.

Goshenite scowled as well. She reached for the gem on her lower back, which began to glow. From it, she produced a staff, sharpened into a point at both ends. She held it in front of her as Garnet stepped closer.

“Pearl, get inside,” she growled. “I’ll handle this.”


	5. Under Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite begins to do battle with the ragtag group of off-colors, but their battle is short-lived as a third party makes an unexpected appearance.

Chapter Five: Under Attack

\- - -

Pearl wasn’t sure which one of them moved first: both Goshenite and the fusion seemed to charge at one another at the same time. Goshenite pointed her staff at her opponent, who blocked the tip with one of her gauntlets, grabbing it with the other. Both of them grappled over the weapon, glaring at the other.

“I’ve fought Goshenites before,” said Garnet. “And won.”

“You haven’t fought  _ this _ Goshenite.” The white Beryl swung her weapon around, the fusion still grabbing it, as she threw them several meters behind her. Her foe out of the way for now, she turned her attention to Pearl. “You have to get out of here! Get Topaz while you’re at it!”

“Isn’t there some way we can talk this out!?” said Pearl.

“You’re hilarious. Go get Topaz!”

The battle was escalating. It was clear that talking things out wasn’t an option. The four Pearls retreated to safety.

Hearing footsteps behind her, Goshenite turned around to see the fusion returning. “Not content to leave good enough alone, are you?”

“We just need repairs,” said Garnet. “And we’re getting them one way or another.”

“Not on your life.” Goshenite’s physical form began to glow. Brighter and brighter, until a burst of white light enveloped the area. While this would have blinded most Gems, Goshenite was surprised to find that Garnet was unaffected. “What!? How!?”

She adjusted her dark visor. “A little fashion advice I picked up on Earth,” she said.

Frustrated, Goshenite threw her staff like a javelin, only for the fusion to catch it. The white Gem growled, summoning another one and charging. She leapt into the air and brought it down on what would have been her target’s head, if she hadn’t blocked it with the other staff. “Where does a fusion like you get off being so strong!?” she snarled.

“Because I’m made of love!” She shoved Goshenite back and dropped the staff to throw a punch at her. Goshenite blocked the blow with her weapon, but was still sent flying by the impact--only to collide with seemingly nothing. A grunt of pain confirmed that she had indeed struck someone.

Goshenite picked herself up off the ground and examined her surroundings. Another Gem was right beside her, becoming visible again. “And what exactly are  _ you _ doing here?” she asked, livid.

“I snuck onboard your ship!” said Cairngorm. “I didn’t think there’d be any sort of action here!”

“And look where we are.” Goshenite picked up her weapon as Garnet approached. “I’ll deal with you later,” she said to Cairngorm, before charging at the fusion.

Meanwhile the troop of Pearls were making their way away from the fighting, back inside of the base. “Okay, what are we supposed to do now?” asked the red one. “Should we call for help?”

“Goshenite told me to go get Topaz, but…” Pearl trailed off.

“But what?” asked the green Pearl.

“It’s just...I don’t want to escalate this fight any more than it already is!” she said as they ran. “Why can’t we just let them leave?”

“Hey, they came to us,” said the blue Pearl. “We can’t be blamed if a bunch of off-colors suddenly shows up out of nowhere and--”

The Pearls stopped in their tracks as they came across two of the newly-arrived travellers. There was the organic, and the pink one that wasn’t a Gem, but didn’t quite seem to be an organic, either. Both parties froze. Pearl instinctively drew a small handheld blaster from within her gem, levelling it at the pair.

“Woah, hey, there’s no need for that!” said the taller one of the two, holding his hands up.

“Lars, get back!” said the smaller one, holding out his arm.

“What do you mean, me get back,  _ you _ get back!” the taller of the two, evidently named Lars, said.

“How about  _ both _ of you get back?” said the green Pearl. She and the others were huddled together, mostly behind their blaster-wielding friend. “You go get...somewhere else, or our girl here’ll shoot!”

“Please, we just need some parts for repairs!” said Lars. “Once we get some, we’ll move on, I promise!”

“Since when could you trust an off-color’s promise?” said the red Pearl. “How do we know you won’t just shatter us as soon as we turn our backs?”

“What!? I’m not an off-color, I’m a human!” said Lars.

“And now you’re just making up words!” the blue Pearl said.

“Hang on…” Pearl lowered her blaster slightly. “I think they’re telling the truth.”

“You’re crazy!” said the red Pearl. “Don’t put that thing down!”

A brief struggle ensued in which the red Pearl tried to grab Pearl’s weapon, while Pearl tried to keep it. As a result, a bolt of green energy was hurled at the two organics. But before it reached them, a pink glow emanated from the smaller one. The blast collided harmlessly with a shield that had appeared from nowhere. A very familiar shield.

“That...that’s impossible,” said the green Pearl.

“S-she’s Rose Quartz!” the blue Pearl exclaimed. “That isn’t just an off-color, that’s...like the  _ queen _ of off-colors!”

Pearl, on the other hand, didn’t react in the slightest. Her focus was more on the blaster that had just discharged. As the red Pearl’s hand was still on it, Pearl yanked it away from her.

“So...uh...what do we do now?” said Lars.

“I think...we talk things out,” said Pearl. She lowered her blaster, depositing it back within her gemstone.

All six of them were quiet now, each staring at the other group. “That--I mean, I’m fine with that, negotiating,” said Lars.

“Pearl, what are you…” Green Pearl started admonishing Pearl, but stopped once she met her gaze. Pearl really, truly believed that these two meant no harm, and was willing to put herself in harm’s way to prove it. “Alright. We’ll talk.”

The small organic sighed in relief, the shield disappearing from sight. “That’s such a relief,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many Gems I meet who just want to--hey, what’s that?” He pointed behind the Pearls.

“See? They don’t want to talk!” said the red Pearl. “Do you really think we’re just gonna fall for some stupid trick?” Pearl, however, had immediately looked. “Oh. Well, I stand corrected.”

“I don’t know,” said Pearl. “It looks like a ship, but I can’t tell the model from this far away. Unless…” She gasped in surprise. “No.  _ Not now _ .”

“Maybe getting Topaz is the right move after all,” said the green Pearl.

Meanwhile, Garnet and Goshenite continued their battle. Although she didn’t look it, Goshenite was quite sturdy, and was able to weather most of the punches Garnet threw her way. Of course, Garnet was no slouch either, dodging Goshenite’s attacks or deflecting them with her gauntlets.

“Hang on, buddy, I’m-a comin’!” Cairngorm wanted to assist as well. She summed her weapon, a small curved sickle, and rushed to Goshenite’s aid. She was able to get one slice in on Garnet, who, unaffected by the blow, threw Cairngorm off into the distance.

“You can’t win this!” said Goshenite. “Even if you beat me, which we both know won’t happen, you’ll never be able to leave this station in time! My forces will decimate your crew, and you’ll be--” She was cut off by Garnet slamming a fist directly into her face.

“I may not be able to win, but I’m not trying to!” said Garnet. “It’s only a matter of keeping you busy long enough for the others to grab the parts they need.”

“And what makes you so sure they’ll be able to escape?” asked Goshenite, returning fire with a swing from her staff. Garnet ducked under the blow. “Your gang of off-colors will be caught and tried, just like all the others.”

“Uh, Goshenite?” said Cairngorm, sounding nervous. “I think we’ve got bigger things to worry about right now!”

“Quiet, Cairngorm!” snapped Goshenite. “You aren’t even supposed to be here! Don’t think you can tell me what to…” As Goshenite looked towards Cairngorm, she trailed off. The brownish Gem was staring towards the sky, as were several others behind her. Even her opponent had turned her gaze upward. Following their example, Goshenite turned around and looked up.

A dark shape hung low in the air, slowly descending through the thin atmosphere of the asteroid. Goshenite soon realized why everyone was so panicked: the dark grey ship, red lights glowing along the sides, bore an appearance she knew all too well.

It was an Interloper gunship.

“You’re joking!” said Goshenite. What were the Interlopers doing here, of all places? And why now, of all times? What business could they possibly have?

Gems on both sides of the current conflict took shelter as the gunship’s twin cannons engaged. Two barrages of lasers rained down on anything that moved down below. Goshenite bolted for cover within the nearby mines, and much to her chagrin, the fusion had joined her as well.

“What kind of trick is this!?” asked Garnet.

“‘Trick’!?” said Goshenite irritably. Where had this Gem been the past five thousand years!? “You really think that I’m faking an Interloper attack just to deal with you!?” The fusion seemed to not know what she was talking about. “Seriously? I know you live underground, but come on!”

“Who are you to talk to me that way!?” Garnet snapped.

“I’m the Supreme General of Homeworld!” Goshenite yelled back. “And I--”

Explosions from up above cut her off. Both of them peered out from their hiding place: the gunship continued to fire, and the mines didn’t have the weaponry to take it down. Gems were being destabilized left and right. The two organics the ship had brought in were hiding behind a pink barrier that deflected the shots, but the smaller one was struggling to hold it.

“Steven!” Before Goshenite could wonder what ‘Steven’ meant, or why the pink shield seemed so familiar, the fusion sprinted towards them. It would be more accurate to describe her movement as a lunge, as she barely had to move her legs. She stopped only briefly, to fire her gauntlets like rockets at the ship. This didn’t do much damage, but it did knock the ship briefly off course, giving her just enough time to snatch the two of them up and rush them to safety.

“Okay, what the heck is going on here!?” asked Lars, once Garnet had gotten them to safety. “Here we are, just minding our own business, and that thing just starts shooting at us!”

“It doesn't look like any sort of Gem ship I’ve seen before,” said Steven. “Garnet, do you know what it is?”

“No idea,” Garnet answered. “I saw in a few futures this base would be attacked, but...I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

“Oh, hey!” All three of them turned towards this voice. Cairngorm was hiding beside them; none of them had noticed her in their scramble for safety. “Looks like we’re in the same ship now, huh?”

Garnet stepped forward. “What is that thing?” she asked in her best authoritative voice. “Why is it attacking?”

Cairngorm glanced out at the gunship. “That appears to be some sort of Interloper ship.” Neither Garnet, Steven, nor Lars replied. “What? You really don’t know the Interlopers? They’ve been at war with Homeworld for millenia now!”

With its cannons still scanning for movement, the gunship lowered closer to the ground. Two doors opened on its sides, out of which poured several mechanical soldiers: Scavengers, the backbone of the Interlopers’ army.

“So, if they hate Homeworld, does that mean they’d like us?” asked Lars.

Steven, as if to test this theory, walked out from cover while Garnet looked away. Several of the Scavengers focused on him. “Hello,” Steven said, holding up his hands. “We’re against Homeworld, just like you are. “We can--” The Scavengers trained their blaster arms at him, and opened fire. Steven summoned his shield just in time, and backed behind cover again. “Nope, they hate us too!”

“Like I said, we have to work together if we want to get out of here alive!” said Cairngorm. “You distract ‘em, I’ll finish ‘em off!” Both her physical form and her weapon faded from view, and quiet footsteps could be heard leaving the scene.

Several of the Scavengers were making their way into the buildings and hiding spots to flush out the remaining Gems. It wasn’t long before the three of them were found out as well. All it took was one of them aiming its blaster at Steven and Lars for Garnet to rush into action.

The machines never knew what hit them. Their heads were busted into pieces by her blows, their lasers colliding with her body to no effect. Despite how outmatched they were, they continued fighting: what Scavengers lacked in combat ability, they made up in fearlessness. And numbers. No matter how many she destroyed, more of them seemed to emerge from the gunship, which was a force to be reckoned with on its own.

Speaking of which, the ship had turned its attention towards Garnet. Rightfully recognizing her as a threat, it aimed its twin guns at the rampaging fusion. The blasters warmed up, preparing to fire.

“Garnet, look out!” yelled Steven, unable to get to her in time.

Just before the ship could unleash photonic death from above, a red object collided head-on with its hull, knocking it off-center. Garnet got out of there as the source of this object revealed herself. Topaz had entered the fray, Pearl close behind her. The former held a spiked ball, which was connected by a chain to her gemstone on her chest. The latter held her blaster. “Somebody call for the wrecking crew?” said Topaz. However, her tone changed slightly upon seeing who she had saved. “What the? What’s goin’ on, here? You some kinda off-color?”

“Topaz, cool it,” said Cairngorm, reappearing next to the larger Gem. “We’re gonna need their help to take that gunship down!”

Said gunship had regained composure, and had continued its barrage, unlikely to stop anytime soon. Interlopers continued to pour from inside of it.

Tearing her way through more Scavengers, Goshenite had made her way over to the congregation. “As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right,” she said. “Chiron Beta Prime isn’t equipped with any meaningful defenses, and calling for backup would take too long.”

“Alright, sounds good!” said Cairngorm. She turned to Garnet: “How does this sound? You guys help us, and we’ll let you repair your ship and take off!”

“NO!” Evidently, both Goshenite  _ and _ Garnet were opposed to this.

“I’m not just letting these fugitives leave, even if they do help us!” said Goshenite.

“And I’m half-tempted to leave, and let those machines take care of you all!” Garnet said.

“Garnet!” Steven chided.

“That’s not going to work!” Everyone turned to see Rhodonite, carrying Padparadscha in her arms. “Tell them what you saw!”

“Interlopers are coming!” said the Sapphire. “And they won’t stop until every Gem on this asteroid is shattered, Crystal or Homeworld!”

“Welp, that sounds like a good enough reason to work together!” said Lars.

“Bah! And why should I trust some off-color!?” growled Goshenite.

“Well,  _ I _ trust them,” said Pearl. Goshenite turned to glare at her...but couldn’t bring herself to. “And you can trust me, right?”

Goshenite took a second to answer. “...Fine,” she eventually said. “If you help us destroy the gunship, you have my word that you’ll make it out of here alive.”

Garnet wasn’t yet convinced. “Can we trust your word.”

“I swear on My Diamond.” Goshenite’s voice was grave.

Although her allegiance was firmly with Rose Quartz, Garnet remembered quite well how devoted some Gems could be to the Diamonds. “Good enough for me.” She paused, holding onto her glasses.

Pearl leaned in closer to Steven. “What’s she doing?” she asked.

“Future vision,” Steven explained. “Since she’s part Sapphire, Garnet can see into the future!”

“Okay, I think I see something,” Garnet said. “We’ll need to distract it somehow.”

Goshenite nodded. “Cairngorm, you know what you need to do.”

“On it!” Cairngorm turned invisible, walking off. Meanwhile, more Scavengers were converging on their location.

“Topaz, give us cover!” said Goshenite.

“Will do!” Topaz went out flail-first, tearing through their ranks. “Come on, you tin cans! Give me a challenge! I’ve fought Zircons tougher than you; literally!” Although she had the Scavengers under control, the gunship had taken notice of her.

Before the ship could fire on the red Gem, something caused it to turn in the air. Cairngorm materialized shortly after, clinging to its side and hacking away at its armor with her sickle. She wasn’t doing much damage, but it still felt it necessary to try and shake her off.

“Steven! Launch me, quick!” shouted Garnet, running over to him.

“You got it!” The shield materialized in his hands, which he held above his head. Garnet leapt onto this makeshift springboard, Steven flinging her into the air with surprising strength.

Garnet was aimed right towards the ship; one of her gauntlets increased dramatically in size growing even larger than herself. Once she was in position, she brought it down with tremendous force, cracking open the gunship’s tough armor. A small hole was made, revealing the inner workings of the vessel. Cairngorm leapt off before Garnet made the hit, gliding safely down by catching her sickle on the side of a building.

Goshenite eyed this newly-formed weak spot, gripping her staff tightly in hand. “Now you’re mine!” She threw the staff with all her might: it soared through the air like a spear, piercing directly through the hole Garnet had made.

The staff seemed to have hit a vital component, as the gunship bobbed and swerved in the air as though trying hard to stay aloft. Soon enough, its gravity stabilizers gave out, sending it crashing towards the ground. Sparks flew as its outer hull grinded against the floor of the asteroid, tearing its armor to shreds. And with one final crash, all that remained of the ship was a smouldering husk. The remaining Scavengers, with now central processing core to sustain them, shut down.

Goshenite looked up to where the fusion had landed. Garnet did the same, meeting her gaze. While both were initially basking in their shared triumph, seeing the other caused some animosity to bubble up. That is, until Goshenite grudgingly admitted the newcomers’ part in their victory.

“As much as I hate to admit it...a promise is a promise.”

\- - -

Not long after, the  _ Sun Incinerator _ was given its much-needed repairs. Goshenite wasn’t the only one who was hesitant to help off-colors, but the mines’ workers did so without complaint. Even if they made their displeasure clear through non-verbal means.

“You’re free to leave this place,” Goshenite explained to the ship’s crew, “but be warned: I won’t hesitate to bring you in if I should run into you again.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about us!” said Lars. “Once we get to Earth, we’ll be out of your hair!”

Goshenite raised an eyebrow. “Earth, hmm?”

“Er, maybe you’ve said too much, Captain,” said one of the Rutile twins. “Why don’t we take them up on their offer, before they change their mind?” said the other.

“And believe me, I’m tempted to,” said Goshenite. She turned away, and walked away from them without another word. Pearl, who had been standing beside her, attempted to clear the air.

“I’m sorry about her,” Pearl said. “She can be really abrasive, but she really does mean well.”

“ _ Does _ she?” asked Garnet, clearly skeptical.

“I’m sure of it!” said Pearl. “She and My Emerald used to hate each other, but they’ve made up, more or less. Goshenite really does want what’s best for Homeworld.”

“But not for the defective or off-colored,” Garnet said coldly.

“Well...I…” Pearl was unable to respond.

“Uh, thanks for letting us go!” said Steven. “And good luck with...those robot guys!”

“Why, you’re welcome!” said Pearl. “You know, My Emerald was a big advocate for off-colors. You would have liked her!”

“I’d love to meet her sometime!” said Steven, waving goodbye to Pearl as he and the others boarded the  _ Sun Incinerator _ . The ship rose up into the air, and blasted off towards the stars. Where they were headed, Pearl could only guess.

Meanwhile, Goshenite walked over to the wreckage of the Interloper gunship. Several Peridots were already over there, taking readings of the crashed vessel. “Anything I should know about?” she asked the nearest one.

“Nothing out of the ordinary, if that’s what you mean,” said the Peridot. “We’re picking up a faint energy signature, so its core is probably still intact. We’ll want to harvest it soon before it dissipates.”

“Do as you will,” Goshenite said. “This isn’t my jurisdiction.”

Just as Goshenite was preparing to turn away, a sudden bang from the crashed ship caused her to halt. The Peridots were startled by the sudden sound, but more so by the readings that came with it.

“We;ve got a sudden spike in energy!” said one of them. “Something in there’s waking up!”

Another bang, this one more forceful. A sizable divot appeared in the hull.

“It won’t stop increasing!” said another Peridot. “It’s...it’s higher than any Interloper we’ve ever seen!”

Steeling herself, Goshenite drew her weapon once more. “All of you, get to cover!” she shouted. The Peridots did so. “Whatever’s in there, you don’t want to be nearby once it comes out!”

The mystery presence continued pounding away at its prison, bending the metal further and further. Eventually, it stopped. Goshenite was about to lean in to get a closer look, when a beam of red light tore through the ship. Followed by another, and another, and yet another still. Eventually, a hole large enough for Goshenite herself to fit though had been burned through the hull.

And something that exact size rose into the air.


	6. Enter the Primax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Interlopers' ultimate weapon is revealed.

Chapter Six: Enter the Primax

\- - -

“What...in the name of the Diamonds...is that?” said Goshenite, stunned by the object that had appeared before her.

The figure rising out of the crashed ship seemed like an Interloper, but was more advanced than anything Goshenite had seen from them. Its arms and legs didn’t seem to be attached to its body, seemingly floating inches away from it. Six devices hovered just behind its back, giving the appearance of wings, or perhaps a twisted halo. Its head, which likewise hovered just above its body, consisted only of a single red eye, bringing to mind the Oculus itself. This eye, previously staring up into space, lowered itself to glare directly at Goshenite.

“I can assure you…” The machine’s voice was slow, deep, and carried with it an air of menace. “...the Diamonds had nothing to do with me.”

The Interloper drifted down to the ground, coming to rest just in front of Goshenite. The Gem stepped back; the machine was undoubtedly menacing, but she didn’t want to provoke it. It might not attack if she didn’t, either. “Then what are you?” she asked, holding tight to her weapon.

He scoffed. “I am something far more ancient and powerful than your Diamonds. Something of much more consequence.” He held out his arms. You Gems are always so quick to assume that your  _ beloved Diamonds _ were behind everything in the universe.”

“Clearly not everything,” Goshenite interrupted. “But if that’s the case, where  _ do _ you come from?”

“Allow me to answer that question with a question,” the unknown figure replied. “You know the Diamonds to be the progenitors of all that you know. But have you ever wondered where  _ they _ came from?”

Goshenite’s mind immediately raced back to the fantastical stories she had heard spouted by Emerald. A while back, before she had been stuck in her current form, the former Supreme Admiral had had a run-in with a certain high-ranking Interloper who had claimed that his race were the true creators of Gemkind. Goshenite had brushed this off as mere fantasy, either on Emerald’s part or that of the Interloper, but could this be true?

“So, then, you are…?” Goshenite asked.

She had been asking for the robot’s name, but he gave more of a description instead. “I am the result of hundreds of years of engineering, designed to create the ultimate Gem-slaying weapon. In fact, I only came here for a test run. It is only mere circumstance that you happened to be here as well, Supreme General.”

Goshenite took a step back. “H-how did you know who I am?” she asked, trying not to sound too alarmed.

The robot rose slightly up off the ground. “I know more than you will ever understand,” he said. “I know the part you played in fighting off my forces for the past six millennia. I know of that arrogant Emerald who stood in my way. I know of those fools on Earth. And I know that Homeworld is fighting a losing battle.” A red light began to emanate from his palms. “All it would take for your entire empire to crumble is just one...more...push.”

As the machine thrust both of his arms out, palms forward, Goshenite dove to the side. And not a moment too soon, as two beams of crimson light fired from his hands, burning through the air around them to collide with a building in the distance.

Now that her foe had made his business perfectly clear, Goshenite felt no need to keep waiting. Aiming to end the battle before it could even begin, she hurled her staff at the being, aiming to pierce through its eye. However, the machine’s eye began to glow, firing another crimson beam which vaporized the staff and almost hit Goshenite. The white Gem sprinted out of the way as the beam tore through the ground, rushing towards her attacker and summoning another staff.

Goshenite leapt into the air, about to bring her staff down on the attacking robot. He was faster, however, catching her by the neck before she could hit him. “Stop resisting,” was all he said.

“Never!” Goshenite struggled as best she could, but his grip held. She clawed futilely at his arm, trying to pry his fingers from her throat.

One of the machine’s wings appeared over his shoulder. It began to glow a similar red color as before. Aimed right at Goshenite’s head, he was preparing to deal the final blow.

Mere seconds before he could fire, the machine was hit by some unseen force. The laser beam was fired harmlessly off into the sky, and Goshenite was dropped back to the ground, where she scrambled to safety. The source of this attack was none other than Topaz, who retracted her flail back into her hand. “My Goshenite, are you okay!?”

“Fine, just fine,” answered Goshenite. She got to her feet, picking up her weapon. “What’s the situation currently?”

“Non-combat Gems have retreated belowground,” said Topaz. “And combat Gems have set up a defensive perimeter.”

“Good,” Goshenite said, turning to face the machine. “Hopefully, we won’t need it.”

Back on his feet, their robotic opponent rose up a few feet into the air. His hands, wings, and each wingtip glowed with energy. “Fine,” he growled. “Then let’s finish this.” He burst forwards towards the pair, streaking through the air until he collided with Topaz. The impact pushed her back, but she stood firm.

“Not today!” Topaz threw the robotic menace back, where he was speared through the side by Goshenite. Rather than show any concern over this, he simply pulled out the weapon and retreated to safety.

“Arrogant pests!” he exclaimed. “Do you even know who you are facing!?”

“Actually, we don’t,” Goshenite said. “You just showed up and started attacking. We don’t even know your name.”

The figure’s weapons began to glow once more. “Then allow me to enlighten you! I am Primax Teptromina, the collected rage of the Koh’i’Noor Empire! And I will be your demise!”

Nine beams of light shot forth from Primax Teptromina, piercing through the earth and tearing it asunder. Goshenite tried to dodge again, but the resulting explosion threw her into the air. She collided, dazed, with the ground a good distance away.

“Goshenite? My Goshenite!” She tried to shake off the impact as she heard Topaz calling her in the distance. She struggled to her feet, slowly regaining her composure.

“Topaz! I’m here!” she called out. The landscape around them had been torn apart by Teptromina’s attack, who was nowhere to be seen. Topaz seemed to be trying to get Goshenite’s attention, even though she already had it, via exaggerated gestures. “What is it!?”

As Topaz waved towards the mine proper, Goshenite realized what she was trying to tell her. Primaz Teptromina had made his way over to the settlement, and was engaged with the defenses. New resolution filled Goshenite. “We have to get over there,” she said.

“No need to tell me twice!” said Topaz, who hurried off to the town. Goshenite followed suit, running towards their attacker.

The Agates protecting the mine fought as hard as they could, but none were a match for the Primax, not even in numbers. He dispatched them in droves, his beams tearing through their physical forms like tissue paper, and buildings crumbled before his might.

“Such power!” he said, surprised at his own might. “I feel like I could take on the very Diamonds single-handedly!”

“That may be so...but can you take on  _ me _ !?” Teptromina scanned his surroundings for the source of the voice, but saw nothing. Suddenly, a gash appeared in his side, followed by another. He swung his arms to try and catch the unseen assailant, but caught nothing.

“Show yourself, coward!” he said. “Show yourself so I can eviscerate you!”

“Not much motivation for me to show myself, then,” said the voice. Unfortunately, by speaking, she had inadvertently given herself away. Teptromina charged up another laser, firing it from his palm at the source of the voice. “Uh-oh.” As the beam destroyed her physical form, Cairngorm became visible for a split second, just before disappearing to nothing, her gemstone falling to the ground.

“Far too easy,” Teptromina mused. “Now where were we?”

“We were about to finish what you started, you void-spawn!” He turned around to see Goshenite and Topaz standing behind him, weapons in hand.

He growled. “I’ve had just about enough of the two of you.” The blasters that formed his wings all pointed themselves at the two Gems. “Let’s make this quick!” The beams fired, as Goshenite and Topaz dodged to either side.

Both Gems threw their weapons at once, leaving little room for Teptromina to guard. Goshenite’s staff flew harmlessly past him, but the head of Topaz’s flail collided with him, knocking him to the ground.

“‘Let’s make this quick’ indeed!” Goshenite said, picking up her weapon and running over to her foe. She thrust the end just as Teptromina tried to block it, bypassing his guard and spearing him through his midsection.

Teptromina was little more than annoyed by this, however. “Trivial!” he bellowed. Grabbing hold of Goshenite so she couldn’t escape, his blasters began to charge up once again. Before he could fire, a projectile of some sort collided with one of the blasters, causing the energy to prematurely discharge. The resulting explosion knocked Goshenite away from him, though she was mostly unharmed.

One of Teptromina’s six hovering wings was now scrapped. Furious that someone would dare to be so insolent, he turned to face the one responsible. Who should be standing there but Pearl, blaster aimed at the Interloper.

“You whelp!” he roared. His remaining weapons began to glow, aimed at Pearl. “You would dare strike your rightful master!?”

“My only master is Emerald!” Pearl shouted back, clearly afraid, but nevertheless stalwart.

Goshenite got to her feet. “Topaz! Ground him!”

“On it!” Topaz swung her flail around, building up momentum, before hurling it at Teptromina. The chain wrapped around him before he could fire, and Topaz proceeded to yank him down to the ground. He crashed into the dirt hard enough to leave a small crater, but was still kicking.

Sprinting towards him, Goshenite aimed to change that. “Hey!” she yelled, aiming to get his attention. By the time Teptromina turned to face her, Goshenite was already in the air, holding her staff above her head. She drove the weapon down, the momentum causing it to pierce through Teptromina’s lone optic.

A mighty roar of rage came from the Interloper, reverberating across the surface of the asteroid and into the mines below.

“Are you  _ still _ not dead!?” asked Goshenite in disbelief.

“I WILL NEVER DIE!” Teptromina screamed. “I WILL…” A moment passed as he stopped to collect himself. “Nevermind. It is of no consequence.” His blinding rage was still present, but he was much more collected. “This body is nothing more than a vessel. This attack was but a test. We will face each other again. And again, and again, and as many times as is necessary before I emerge victorious. Homeworld will fall. The Diamonds will die, and Gemkind will once again be subservient to the Koh’i’Noor.”

“Not on your life,” said Goshenite. She retracted her spear, causing Teptromina’s inert form to fall to the ground.

Pearl cautiously made her way over. “Did...did we win?”

Goshenite nodded. “Yes, I think we--” However, their victory was interrupted when Teptromina’s body began to glow. Scarlet sparks shot forth from his form as it slowly lifted a few inches off the ground.

“My Goshenite, get back!” yelled Topaz. The blood-red Gem rushed forwards, grabbing a hold of the body and hurling it into the air. The resulting explosion was still large enough to reach them.

Topaz braced herself, while Goshenite’s first instinct was to throw herself in front of Pearl. The heat from the blast washed over them, but luckily Topaz had acted quickly enough that they were unharmed. Goshenite still held on to Pearl as the fireball subsided.

Slowly but surely, more Gems began to emerge from within the mines as the crisis had ended. Goshenite stood up as well, making her way over to Cairngorm’s fallen gemstone. “Miss Goshenite?” asked Pearl, looking up. “What happens now?”

Goshenite picked up the brownish gem, placing it in a white bubble which disappeared. “Topaz?” she said. “Call everyone.”

“Uh-huh. And by ‘everyone,’ you mean--”

“I mean  _ everyone _ .”


	7. New Crew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite seeks outside help in the wake of the Interloper attack.

Chapter Seven: New Crew

\- - -

The normally isolated Chiron Beta Prime was now bustling with activity, even more so than it had been for the conference. Once news had gotten out about the Interloper attack, coupled with the arrival of the off-colors, not to mention the Interlopers’ apparent new weapon, the asteroid mine was swarming with activity. This included several members of the Council of Beryls.

Bixbite and Heliodor approached Goshenite and Topaz, who stood overlooking the base down below. “We came the very moment we heard,” the red Gem said.

“I’m glad you were able to get here quickly,” said Goshenite. She silently stared at the commotion below them. Personnel were already conducting repairs on the damaged base, and defenses were ready in case the attack had a second wave waiting. “What happened earlier, it...really raised a lot of warning flags for me.”

“I imagine it would, you were ambushed here!” said Heliodor. “But that begs the question: why here, of all places? A single asteroid mine isn’t exactly the most strategic of places to attack.”

“Obviously, the Interlopers were aware of the strategic council taking place here,” said Bixbite. “How they found out, I can’t say, but it gives them a clear reason.”

“Something that... _ weapon _ said gives me pause,” Goshenite said. “He said that the attack here was only a test. I hate to think that the Interlopers might go on to mass-produce soldiers like that.”

“Yeah, and he mentioned something called the Koh’i’Noor,” added Topaz. “What that means is beyond me, but It’s gotta be important.”

“I thought the same thing,” Goshenite responded. “Which is exactly why I’ve called in an expert.”

“And what sort of expert is that?” asked Bixbite.

“Goshenite waved her off. “Nevermind, not one that you would know. “But speaking of experts, what do you make of this, Heliodor? You have reviewed the data, yes? What do you make of this new weapon?”

“It certainly is novel,” Heliodor replied. “In the six thousand years or so we’ve been fighting the Interlopers, I’ve never seen anything quite so advanced.” She glanced down at a data screen in her hands, showing surveillance footage of the fight. “They’re pulling out all the stops for this one; they must have a lot riding on it.”

“Luckily we have a weapon of our own to match theirs,” said Bixbite, looking at the yellow Beryl beside her. “Right, Heliodor?”

“Oh, right, your ‘secret project,’” said Goshenite. “I don’t suppose that’s still classified, is it?”

Heliodor paused, seeming to consider whether or not revealing the project would be allowed. “Considering what the Interlopers have recently shown themselves to be capable of, combined with the fact that this attack was apparently only a test...yes, I think you deserve to know.”

“Really?” said Goshenite, turning around in surprise. “Well, by all means, go ahead!”

“In a moment,” said Heliodor. “This project is highly classified, and on a strict need-to-know basis. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to dismiss your champion.”

“What? Aw, I wanted to hear about it, too!” Topaz complained.

“Nevermind, Topaz, just give us a few moments,” Goshenite said. “Why don’t you go and greet our expert when he arrives?” Reluctantly, Topaz headed off back towards the base.

“I can’t tell her about it, but you’ll be free to explain it at your discretion,” Heliodor explained. “Need-to-know, and all that.”

“Yes, of course,” said Goshenite. “Now, please give us the overview.”

“Right,” nodded Heliodor. “It all began several months ago, when it was noticed that the Cluster was far behind schedule. As in, several years behind. We sent numerous teams to Earth to check up on its progress, but few returned, most likely due to Rose Quartz. Who, I should mention, may very well be responsible for the Cluster’s delay as well.”

“That’s absurd!” said Bixbite. “How could a single Gem, Rose Quartz of not, possibly manage to--nevermind, continue!”

She did so. “With no Cluster to combat the increasingly frequent Interloper attacks, and fewer and fewer viable planets for colonization, My Diamond approached me with a project in mind. A way to permanently put down the threat of the Interlopers. She called it Project: Giganova.”

“I see,” said Goshenite. “And the only one working on ‘Project: Giganova’ is yourself?”

“Oh, no, of course not,” Heliodor clarified. “There is a whole team of personnel working to create this weapon. They, myself, and of course Yellow Diamond are the only Gems who even know of its existence. We cannot afford the Interlopers finding out about this.”

“And what sort of weapon is Project: Giganova, exactly?” asked Bixbite.

“Nothing groundbreaking on the surface level,” the yellow Gem said. “It is simply an explosive. An explosive that is, however, capable of decimating an entire star system. Hence the name.”

Both Bixbite and Goshenite were silently impressed with this potential destructive yield. “And I imagine the intended target would be the Oculus?” the latter said.

“Naturally,” said Heliodor. “Once the bomb is completed, all that remains is finding a way to deliver it to their base, and retreating to a safe distance. Of course, with a blast radius like that, some unintended casualties are to be expected.”

“Then let us pray to the stars that they are minimal,” Bixbite said. Both the others agreed.

Hearing a ship approaching, Goshenite looked upwards. The familiar green vessel made its way over to one of the docks back towards the base proper. Immediately recognizing the ship as the  _ Soul Evaporator _ , Goshenite made to leave. “I think my ‘expert’ is here,” she said. “Is there anything else you need to tell me?”

“That’s all for now,” Heliodor said. “I’ll tell the other Council-Gems about Giganova as well. And Maxixe will contact you if any more Interloper activity is discovered.”

Goshenite nodded, heading off towards the base. There, Pearl had also seen the familiar ship arrive. She was about to head over to it when a voice called out to her.

“Pearl!” She turned around, noticing the other Pearls running over to her. It was the red one who had called. “There you are! Are you alright? What happened?”

“Once again runnin’ headlong into danger,” said the green Pearl. “I still don’t know if you’re brave, or just crazy!”

“Well, maybe a little bit of both,” Pearl admitted. “I just wanted to help, is all.”

“Did you?” asked the blue Pearl. “Help, I mean. We were all stuck down there in the mines, so we couldn’t see what was happening. We were attacked, right? By the Interlopers?”

“Yes,” said Pearl, nodding, “and they had some kind of new weapon with them. Goshenite, Topaz, and I had to work together to defeat it.”

“No way!” the red Pearl exclaimed. “Are you telling me that you helped beat the Interlopers!? That’s awesome!”

“What are you yelling about?” Wearing her characteristic scowl, the black Pearl made her way over to the group, flanked by her pair of followers. “Did you just say that  _ this one _ here fought off the invasion all by herself?”

“She di--” The blue Pearl started to speak, but her green companion held her hand over her mouth to cut her off.

“And why is that so important to you?” the green Pearl asked. “What does it matter if she did? If so, maybe you should be grateful!”

Black Pearl scoffed. “It matters because that isn’t a very Pearl-ish thing to do!” She turned back to the mocha and silver Pearls, both of whom agreed. “Either she’s lying to make herself look better, which is most likely, or she actually did fight with them, which is even worse!”

“How is that worse?” Pearl asked, legitimately curious.

“Because Pearls aren’t supposed to fight!” answered the black Pearl, clearly exasperated. “Pearls are Pearls, not Rubies, or Quartzes, or whatever it is you’re trying to act like! You know, acting so un-Pearl-like isn’t going to make your owner like you very much.”

The red Pearl tried to come to Pearl’s defense. “Lay off, would you? The fighting just stopped, and now you’re already trying to start it up again!”

But Pearl, rather than be upset by the other Pearl’s remarks, only inquired further. “Actually, My Emerald likes me just fine. Does...does Your Jade not like you?”

Black Pearl was, of course, offended by this question. “Excuse you!” she exclaimed. “My Jade loves me more than any other Gem in the universe loves a Pearl. Look, here she comes right now!”

A pair of Jades was walking by in the distance, one of them the same shade of black as the Pearl. “Pearl!” she shouted harshly upon seeing her. “Come here, we’re leaving!”

“Right away, My Jade!” Black Pearl answered sweetly. She gave the group of Pearls one last glare before heading off to join her master. Her two compatriots looked at one another and shrugged, before wandering off.

The green Pearl shook her head. “Honestly! What gives her the right to act so stuck up all the time?”

“Beats me,” the red Pearl replied. “Maybe if Her Jade didn’t keep bragging about her all the time…”

“Um…” Pearl glanced over at the  _ Soul Evaporator _ in the distance, where Goshenite had already arrived. “As much as I’d love to stay here with you, I think I’ll need to be going soon, too.”

“Oh, that’s right, you belong to Goshnite,” the blue Pearl said. “I keep forgetting, what with the colors and all.”

“Oh, I don’t--Anyway, I’ll see you later!” Pearl said, running off.

“Bye for now!” the green Pearl called after her. “Stay safe, but not  _ too _ safe!”

Meanwhile, Goshenite had gone over to the ship that used to belong to her former rival. Before Emerald had gotten corrupted, the  _ Soul Evaporator _ had been her personal flagship. But now, rather than gather dust, some of her subordinates still occasionally used it for emergencies like this one.

As Goshenite approached, the door slid open, revealing the forms of Onyx and Tanzanite, who stepped out onto the surface. “Let us skip the greetings and cut straight to the matter at hand,” said the latter. “If the Interlopers have a new weapon in play, then we will need to act quickly.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Goshenite said “I trust you brought the expert?”

“We certainly brought somebody,” said Onyx. “Hey, Tenrit, Nines, get down here!”

Two more figures exited the ship. One was an Era-2 Citrine, noticeably smaller than her Era-1 counterparts, but making up for it with the addition of mechanical armor. A blaster was strapped to her back as well, to make up for her lack of powers. Beside her was what seemed to be another Interloper, but Tenrit was only made from Interloper tech. In truth, he was formerly a Valurian, but had to be reconstructed after being captured and held prisoner for information. Now, the only indicator of his species were the two curved horns on his head.

“So, I, uh, heard you needed an expert,” Tenrit said. He was unfamiliar with Goshenite, having encountered her the least out of the four. “I could probably help you out there. What is it exactly that you wanted to know?”

Goshenite regarded the Valurian before her. Even with his mechanical body, she struggled to see him as anything other than an organic. She pushed these feelings down: Homeworld’s safety had to come first. “I understand you were held by the Interlopers for quite some time. Is this correct?”

“It is, yes,” answered Tenrit. “Though I wasn’t so much ‘held’ as much as ‘hooked up to a computer and mined for information about Gemkind, unable to die until my consciousness was uploaded into this mechanical body,’ but the point stands.”

The Citrine, nicknamed Nines, looked over at her friend. “And you’re sure you’re alright?” she asked.

Tenrit shrugged. “Eh, more or less.”

“Er...right,” Goshenite said. “And during this time, did the words ‘Primax Teptromina’ come up at all?”

Tenrit, despite his robotic form, almost seemed to tense up. “And, why? Did this weapon thing mention that name?”

“Yes, he claimed to  _ be _ that name,” Goshenite replied. “What can you tell us about it? Was this the codename for this weapon?”

Slowly, Tenrit shook his head. “No. No, it’s something different.” Everyone else was quiet at this sudden change in Tenrit’s mood. “Primax Teptromina...he’s the big one. The head honcho. T-their leader.”

“Wait, I thought Pythoriax was their leader,” said Nines.

“Pythoriax, all those Generals, they were just intermediaries,” Tenrit continued. “Teptromina, he runs the whole show. All the Interlopers, either directly or indirectly, answer to him.”

“And if he has chosen to take matters into his own hands…” said Tanzanite.

Onyx nodded. “Yup, that can’t be good.”

“Hold on.” Goshenite held out her hand. “We don’t know enough yet to jump to conclusions. Tenrit?” The Vlaurian looked up. “I’ll need all the information you have. You need to come with me while we formulate our next move.”

“Huh? Uh, sure, no problem,” he said. Goshenite began walking back to her ship, the  _ Xenocide _ , and he hurried after her. “Hey, wait up!”

“Goshenite!” called Onyx. “Where are you going?”

Unfortunately, Goshenite didn’t have an answer. She truly didn’t know where she was going, or what her plan was. All she knew was that the Interlopers were pulling out all the stops, and the attack here was only the beginning. They didn’t have a plan yet, but they needed to come up with one soon.

Joined by Pearl and Topaz, Goshenite and Tenrit made their way back to the ship.


	8. Onto the Front Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite decides to take the fight directly to the Interlopers in an attempt to get to Teptromina.

Chapter Eight: Onto the Front Lines

\- - -

Goshenite stood by the ramp leading inside her vessel. Topaz was the first to enter, Tenrit following close behind. However, when Pearl tried to board, Goshenite placed her arm in front of her.

“Not this time, little one,” she said. “I can’t afford to take you along with me.”

“What?” said Pearl. “But...I have to come with you. Where else am I supposed to go if I can’t come?”

“Back home.” Goshenite waved to Tanzanite and Onyx, indicating Pearl. “Have those two take you back to Emerald’s home. Wait there until I return.”

“But, Miss Goshenite, you promised that you’d look after me!” Pearl tried to protest. “You Promised Emerald!”

Goshenite placed a comforting hand on the Pearl’s shoulder. “I know, I know. I did. And I’m looking after you by making sure you’re out of harm’s way. This Primax, he’s dangerous--more so than any Interloper you or Emerald faced. I don’t want to put you in harm’s way if I don’t have to.”

As much as Pearl wanted to argue further, she knew Goshenite had a point. Whatever came next, it would no doubt be very dangerous. Even still, she nevertheless wanted to do the part to protect her home. “I understand, Goshenite,” she said.

“Good,” the white Beryl replied. “Now you go back with Emerald, where it’s safe. And don’t worry about the Interlopers--leave them to me.”

Reluctantly, Pearl made her way back over to the  _ Soul Evaporator _ . Another figure traded places with her, stepping up to Goshenite. “Permission to come aboard, Your Brilliance,” said the Citrine.

Goshenite scanned the Era-2 Quartz before her. “And...who might you be?” she asked.

“Citrine Facet 4L9 Cut 9R9,” she replied. “My friends call me Nines. Speaking of friends, Tenrit and me are kinda close; I figured it might benefit you if I came along, help keep him focused and all that.”

“Mmm...very well,” said Goshenite. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt to have one of Emerald’s soldiers along with us. Enter.” Nines walked up the ramp, with Goshenite following.

Pearl, Onyx, and Tanzanite all watched as the  _ Xenocide _ rose off into the distance. “So, back to Homeworld, I guess,” said the large Quartz.

“It would appear so,” said Tanzanite. “I am sure Goshenite will call on us if she needs us.”

“Yeah. Maybe,” said Pearl. “But, are we really just supposed to wait around on Homeworld while we’re under attack?”

“Sure,” Onyx said with a shrug. “I mean, not much else we can do without a leader.”

She and Tanzanite then wandered back onto Emerald’s ship. Pearl followed them, but not before one last glance at the stars.

\- - -

_ The  _ Xenocide _. _

“Now...tell me more about this ‘Primax’ character,” Goshenite said. Although the ship flew through the stars at warp speed, there was no destination in mind. Perhaps they would arrive where and when they were needed.

Tenrit, eager to give every bit of knowledge he could, was happy to oblige. “Well, first of all, Primax isn’t his name, Teptromina is. Primax is a rank: derived from the Koh’i’Noor term ‘Primum Axalos,’ which roughly means ‘anointed master of all that is.’ He basically sees himself as a god.”

“Good to know,” said Goshenite.

“...It is?” asked Topaz.

“Of course. If he thinks he’s godlike, he thinks he’s infallible, which means he’s arrogant. And I know from experience that arrogance makes one very easy to manipulate. Anything else from your time in that think tank?”

“Well, let’s see…” Tenrit wracked his brain for some more usable information. “Oh! Now, this info might be a bit outdated, but I remember hearing that the Gozyos system was right on the frontlines for this war, and has been for several centuries.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Goshenite said. “The Gozyos system is the location of one of several blockades preventing the Interlopers’ advance. Was there something unique about it?”

“Several things, really,” said Tenrit. “See, there aren’t any actual colonies there, but many of the planets are rich in valuable ores, such as--”

Nines nudged him. “Pretty sure she knows already,” she said. “Anything relevant?”

“Hmm...Ah!” Tenrit nearly jumped as something came to him. “The Inter--er, the Koh--whatever, the data said that this system is where they test out their new superweapons. Apexes, Broodmothers, that’s usually the first place where they’ll be deployed in the field.”

“So if their boss had some new destructo-bot he wanted to raise some void in, that’s where he’d use it,” said Topaz.

“Precisely,” Goshenite added. “Pilots! Set a course for the Gozyos system, immediately!”

“Right away, My Goshenite,” said a Nephrite. Before long, the  _ Xenocide _ was en route to the solar system in question.

Goshenite wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but she knew it wouldn’t be an easy fight they were headed towards. “We must be prepared for anything,” she said. “Expect the unexpected.”

The Gems were silent during the journey. Each time one of them, usually Topaz or Tenrit, was about to say something, they decided against it at the last moment. Goshenite was deep in thought, not only about future threats, but also about her...perhaps not her ‘friends,’ per se, but those who were close to her. Specifically Cairngorm--she had bubbled her and sent her back to Homeworld without a second thought. She tried to reason with herself that the smaller Gem would only have gotten in the way, but doubt still clung to her.

Nines eventually broke the silence, if only to the robotic Valurian next to her. “So, Tens...you keep callin’ the Interlopers ‘Koh’i’Noor,’ or something like that. What’s that mean?”

“While I don’t have the exact translation,” Tenrit said, “I do know that this is their actual species name. What they call themselves, from before they were machines.”

“Wait, before they were machines?” Nines asked, confused.

Tenrit nodded. “While, again, I don’t have all the info, I think they used to be organic beings, like me. Also like me, something made it necessary for them to lose their organic forms, and take on mechanical ones. And I have a sneaking suspicion that Gemkind is that reason.”

Nines was quiet a moment as she took all this in. “And, those rumors that they made us--Gems, I mean, that they created the Gems--are those just rumors, then?”

“If they are, the Koh’i’Noor certainly believe them,” Tenrit said.

Nines was silent again, as neither of them could think of anything else to say.

\- - -

“My Goshenite, we’re approaching the Gozyos system,” said a Nephrite. Several minutes had passed.

“Very good,” Goshenite replied. “Activate weapons as soon as we come out of warp.”

It was a very tense moment as the ship neared its destination. Nobody knew what awaited them, if anything at all. At last, the stars returned, and the planets of the system came into view.

“Stars above,” Topaz said. “That is a  _ lot _ of Interlopers…”

The second-nearest planet to them, Gozyos-IV, was surrounded by what seemed to be a cloud of dust. However, looking closer, the dust was actually ships--hundreds of them. Explosions were visible on the planet’s surface even at this distance.

“What are your orders, My Goshenite?” a Milky Quartz asked.

“Try and establish contact with that world,” she said. “Find a suitable place to land, and--”

“Uh, My Goshenite, not to intrude, but  _ that’s a terrible idea _ !” shouted Topaz. “We’re only one ship, we have no backup, no army, nobody knows we’re here, and--”

“On the contrary, we have everything we need,” Goshenite retorted. “We don’t need an army: we have myself, you, my troops, and the  _ Xenocide _ . As for nobody knowing we’re here...You there! Send a transmission to Science Minister Heliodor at once. Tell her of our location, and that we are preparing to engage the Interlopers.” The Peridot she had called upon set out to do so.”

“My Goshenite, I’m all for impulsively launching oneself into battle, but this seems extreme even by my standards!” said the red Gem. “What do we even have to accomplish here?”

“I’ll tell you what we’re here to accomplish!” Goshenite stood up from her captain’s chair, marching over to Topaz. “We’re here to find Teptromina, put him down for good, and put an end to all of this! This war has gone on long enough--I don’t give a damn if it’s poorly conceived, Homeworld’s survival is on the line!”

“And what makes you think he’ll even be on the front lines!?” asked Topaz.

“You heard the organic. Teptromina is a violent maniac with a god complex. He’ll be on the front lines, if for no other reason than to fuel his ego!”

“Goshenite?” She barely registered Tenrit’s voice.

“Furthermore, I don’t exactly appreciate you questioning my leadership! Don’t let it happen again, or--”

“Goshenite!” Tenrit again.

“What!?”

“Teptromina’s not on the front lines,” the robot said. “Not right now, at least.”

“What? How can you be so sure?”

“Because he’s there.” Tenrit held out a shaking finger, pointing it out the front window towards...nothingness. As far as the others could see, distant stars were the only thing he could have been referring to.

“What?” said Nines. “Tenrit, are...are you sure you’re okay?”

“What are you talking about?” said Tenrit. Although still reserved, he sounded moments away from panic. “There’s two ships, right there! He’s standing on one!”

“Our sensors aren’t picking anything up, My Goshenite,” a Nephite said.

Goshenite stared at Tenrit. He didn’t seem to be lying, but still… “What is the meaning of this?” she asked. Though looking at Tenrit, she wasn’t sure who she herself was asking.

“You really can’t see them!?” he said, alarmed now. “But they’re...they’re right--Look out!”

Tenrit dove to the floor, bracing for an impact only he could see coming. However, it came indeed. Some unseen force pounded against the  _ Xenocide _ , causing the entire vessel to rock violently. Goshenite returned to her captain’s chair just as the invisible assailants became visible: a pair of Interloper battleships materialized before them, having let loose a volley of cannon fire on their ship. And standing--or rather, hovering-- just on the bow of one of them was the familiar and unwelcome form of Primax Teptromina, his lone red eye boring into the ship before him.

“Cloaked,” Goshenite muttered under her breath, cursing herself for not considering that possibility.

“H-how?” asked Topaz breathlessly. “How could you see them?”

“I don’t know!” Tenrit replied. “It’s like I just...knew they were there, somehow!”

Before anyone had the chance to question this further, the battleships sent another wave of fire at the vessel. The shields held, but were beginning to weaken. Another volley, and they’d be defenseless.

“Fire main cannons!” ordered Goshenite. The duo of tremendous cannons located on the  _ Xenocide _ ’s wings aimed at the leftmost ship, opening fire. They tore through the ship’s hull, but another object now streaked towards them. Teptromina hurtled through the vacuum of space like a torpedo, before slamming directly into the control deck.

The glass held. Teptromina clung to the window, clear for everyone to see. His eye held no emotion, but it didn’t need to--his feelings were clear. He pulled back one arm, driving a fist forward into the glass. A loud bang echoed through the bridge. Again, and again, and again, until small cracks began to appear in the window.

“Stop him! Fire!” ordered Goshenite.

“We can’t, My Goshenite!” said a Quartz. “None of our weapons can reach him!”

By now, the relentless pounding on the glass had all but broken through. As though knowing one last strike would be enough, Teptromina launched himself back towards his ships. He hovered in place, several meters away from his target, before lunging at the glass, directly towards Goshenite.


	9. Old World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Onyx, Tanzanite, and Pearl return to Homeworld, told that there was nothing they could to to help. Pearl is having none of that.

Chapter Nine: Old World

\- - -

_ Homeworld, Aquarius Sector _ .

The  _ Soul Evaporator _ descended through the sky towards the docks near Emerald’s place of residence. Setting down among the other ships, the three sole inhabitants disembarked.

As they walked down Homeworld’s crowded streets, Pearl couldn’t help but look up at the stars again. It wasn’t just that she was worried about Goshenite. She wasn’t solely worried about Tenrit, or Nines, or anyone fighting the Interlopers somewhere out there. She was more concerned with Gemkind as a whole.

If Tanzanite noticed her unease, she pretended she hadn’t. Onyx, however, caught on fairly quickly. “You okay, little buddy?” she asked the pink Gem.

“Huh? Oh, it...it’s nothing,” she responded. “I just wish I could do more to help, that’s all.”

“Don’t we all?” said Onyx.

And they did. But as much as each of them wanted to do more for their home, for their people, orders were orders. They soon arrived at Emerald’s place, retreating within.

The house was quiet. It had been for the past few months, and apart from then, it had been quiet for centuries before. Emerald had never been one to throw lavish, extravagant parties (that was Morganite’s job), but she sometimes allowed company over. This was before Pearl had come into the picture, of course. But Onyx and Tanzanite still had memories of those days.

Sitting around and reminiscing would accomplish nothing, so Pearl excused herself to the basement. Granted, talking to EMerald wouldn’t have accomplished anything either in the long run, but void if it wouldn’t make her feel better. She descended the staircase to see the beast that was once Emerald lying down behind a layer of two-inch-thick glass. She approached the still form of her former guardian, leaning up against the glass wall.

“Hey, My Emerald,” she said softly. The monster didn’t stir; she must have been asleep. “So, my time on Chiron Beta Prime was pretty eventful. I met with some old friends. Then some off-colors showed up. Goshenite tried to fight them, but I know you wouldn’t have. Right?” When there was no answer, she continued. “But then, things got even worse. Some Interlopers arrived, if you can believe that. Everyone had to work together with the off-colors to fight them, and then Goshenite let them fix their ship and leave. The off-colors, I mean, not the Interlopers. I figured you’d like that.”

Emerald stirred slightly in her sleep. It almost sounded like she was urging Pearl to continue. So she did.

“Apparently, this bigshot Interloper was there, too. His name was Primax Teptromina, or something like that. We managed to beat him, but he said he was coming back. I…” She turned around. Emerald had woken up, her numerous eyes fixed on the Gem on the other side of the glass. She hadn’t made a sound. “...I wish you were back, My Emerald. Things would be so much easier with you here.”

“Pearl?” Tanzanite’s voice could be heard calling out from upstairs. “Where did you go?”

“I’m down here!” Pearl called back. “I know it seems weird that  _ I’m _ the one complaining,” she continued to Emerald. “After all,  _ you’re _ the one stuck here. Unless…” Pearl stood up, stepping back to get a better view of Emerald and her containment.

She heard the footsteps before she saw Onyx appear. “I told her you’d be down here,” the large Quartz said. “Room for one more?”

“Oh...sure,” Pearl said. She had fully expected Onyx to try and bring her back upstairs, but this was a welcome change. “I’m sure Emerald enjoys the company.”

Onyx met Emerald’s gaze, but didn’t seem to pick up any emotions in the many eyes. “I’m...sure she does,” she said. She sat down on the floor with her legs crossed. “So, about what you were saying earlier. About doing more to help...you do know you don’t have to, right?”

“But I want to.”

That was exactly the reaction she had expected. Onyx sighed. “Yeah, I know ya do. I know you really want to fill Emerald’s shoes, but at the end of the day, you’re just a...okay, not ‘just’ a Pearl, but you still are a Pearl. And I know Emerald wouldn’t appreciate me saying this, but Pearls aren’t really supposed to do much of anything.”

Pearl placed a hand against the glass. She seemed to be looking at Emerald, but she was really examining her reflection. “I won’t argue with you, Onyx. Because I know you’re right. Pearls aren’t  _ supposed _ to do anything. And yet...I feel like I’m different. I can’t say exactly how, or why, but it’s just a feeling I have.”

Onyx shifted uncomfortably. The last Pearl who ended up feeling ‘different’ wound up as Rose Quartz’s second in command. “Emerald did a lot for you,” she continued. “She did for all of us. But you don’t have to be the one to fill her shoes. None of us do.”

“I’m not trying to  _ be _ Emerald, I’m just trying to do my part for Homeworld!” Pearl said. “Like I did on Moridius. If I hadn’t broken out of the Reef, the Interlopers would have taken the planet. If I hadn’t fused with Emerald, and taken down Zirconium, then who knows what--”

“Wait, hang on,  _ what _ !?” said Onyx, getting to her feet. “You...you  _ fused _ ? With  _ Emerald _ ?”

“W-well, yeah,” Pearl said. “We kind of didn’t have a choice. Zirconium was trying to crush us, and Emerald kept telling me everything was okay--Why’s it so wrong?”

“Pearl…” Onyx said, slowly approaching the pink Gem. “Gems of two different types aren’t supposed to fuse.  _ Ever _ . You and Emerald could get in serious trouble for this if anyone finds out.”

“But it was only once, and it was an emergency!” Pearl protested. “I don’t see why--Wait, you won’t tell anyone, will you?”

Onyx shook her head emphatically. “No, no, of course not. I would never. You and Emerald are my friends. I just wanted to make sure you know that something like that isn’t supposed to happen. It  _ can’t _ happen.”

As she processed this, Pearl found that her reflection was glaring back at her. “But why? It doesn't make sense!” She began pacing back and forth through the room. “Why does Homeworld hate mixed-Gem fusions so much? Why do they hate off-colors so much? You know, Emerald once told me that the Earth War probably wouldn’t have happened if Homeworld didn’t treat off-colors like trash!”

“Maybe that’s true, maybe it isn’t, I don’t know,” Onyx said. “But what I do know is that there’s nothing we can do right now.”

“But I hate being so helpless!” said Pearl. “The Interlopers are out there, tearing our colonies apart, and we have to just sit here on this planet while--” She fell silent. “What if...we could do something?”

“Like what?” asked Onyx.

Pearl continued. “That Cairngorm that was with Goshenite, I’ve seen her before. She works for Maxixe, but she would go up to talk with Goshenite sometimes. So if she’s friends with Goshenite, and works for Maxixe…”

Onyx didn’t follow.

“...then she’ll have access to all sorts of classified data,  _ and _ she’ll be willing to share it with us!” Pearl finished. “What do you think? Onyx?”

Onyx wasn’t listening, or at least wasn’t looking at Pearl. Her gaze had traveled up towards the ceiling, where it rested on a trio of green bubbles, each holding a gemstone. One was a Topaz several sizes too small, one was an Amber-colored oval, and one was black and looked like several shards forcibly stuck together. “I knew her,” she said.

“Which one?” asked Pearl.

“That one, the Onyx,” Onyx said, pointing at the mutilated black Gem. “You remember her, right? Onix, from Zirconium’s group.”

“I remember all of them,” said Pearl. “Emerald didn’t have the heart to turn them in after she defeated Pythoriax.”

She waited a brief moment to be sure Pearl was done, before continuing. “She was actually my commanding officer,” Onyx said. “Bravest Gem I ever knew. I actually thought she had been shattered after she disappeared, but I guess she fell in with the wrong crowd.” She looked directly at Pearl. “It’s a real shame. All she wanted was to be free. And after all she did for Homeworld, she couldn’t be. She still can’t be.”

“So, what are you saying?” asked Pearl.

“I’m saying that you, me, and Tanz are going to do everything we can to beat the Interlopers,” Onyx answered. “It’s what P7K would have wanted.”

Pearl beamed. “I knew you’d come around eventually, Onyx,” she said. “But if we’re gonna do this, there’s something I need from you first.”

“I need you to let Emerald out,” Pearl said, pointing at the monstrous figure behind the glass wall.

“Pearl, have you lost it!?” Onyx said. “I know you love her, and I’m sure she loves you, but she’s not herself right now. It’s too dangerous.”

“I will do it.” Both of them turned to see that Tanzanite had made her way into the basement, unnoticed.

“Uh...how long have you been there?” asked Onyx.

“Long enough,” Tanzanite replied. She slowly strolled over to a control panel next to the glass barrier. “Pearl, I have been monitoring your interactions with Emerald in her current state,” she said. “Despite whatever factors may be affecting her mind and body, she does appear to recognize you. This is still, however, very dangerous, as she is incredibly unpredictable in this state. I will only release her if you exercise extreme caution--that goes for both of you.” The pair agreed.

Tanzanite held her hand out towards the panel. All five of her fingers extended and snaked their way through the cracks and seams in the device, travelling through its inner workings. After only a few seconds, a tone sounded, and the glass wall gradually rose up to the ceiling.

Too busy focusing on the rising wall, it took Emerald a moment to realize she had been freed. Once she did, her attention turned to the trio of Gems on the outside. She recognized them, and yet, her monstrous form made processing this information difficult. She took a few steps forwards.

“Easy, Mera, easy,” said Onyx, holding out a hand. “We’re your friends. Right?”

Pearl, standing the closest, was the first one she approached. She leaned her snout closer to the pink Gem, giving her a few curious sniffs. A curious sound escaped her throat, sounding almost like a growl, but much gentler.

“She…I think she remembers us,” Pearl said. She reached out a hand to touch Emerald’s mane; the corrupted Gem made no effort to stop her. “Emerald?” Their gazes met. Behind her monstrous appearance, buried deep down, a faint glimmer of Emerald’s true self was still visible.

“Alright, well, that’s all fine and good, but what are we supposed to do with her?” asked Onyx. “I’d like to bring her with us as much as the next Gem, but wouldn’t walking around with her like this raise some suspicions?”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” said Pearl. “But I think I have a solution.”

She stepped closer to Emerald’s left foreleg, where her gem resided. Moving cautiously so as not to startle or upset her, Pearl placed both of her hands over the gemstone.

“I’ve never done this before, only seen it. But it should work if I do it right…” she said. She closed her eyes to concentrate. A pink glow emanated from her hands. Following this, Emerald’s physical form was retreating back towards her gemstone. It wasn’t as though she was being destabilized; merely reforming in reverse. By the time the glowing subsided, Pearl stood with a pink bubble in her hands, containing Emerald’s gem.

“How ‘bout that?” said Onyx, examining the bubble. “Where’d you learn how to do that?”

“Morganite showed me,” Pearl answered. “Back in the early days of Era-2. She taught me a lot of things, actually.”

“Now that Emerald has been safely contained, I suggest we make our leave,” Tanzanite said. “We will need to acquire the fifth member of our party if we wish to proceed.”

“Let’s go,” Pearl agreed. “Onyx, lead the way!”

\- - -

_ Capital District. Goshenite’s residence. _

The last thing Cairngorm remembered before having her physical form vaporized was the beams from that Interloper superweapon barrelling down towards her. Now that she was back to her senses, she quickly scanned her surroundings. She seemed to be in a side room of some sort, with a handful of bubbled Gems around her. Three figures stood in front of her, one carrying another bubble.

“W-wha?” she asked, sounding somewhat dazed? “Where am I? Who are you all? What happened on CBP?”

“Goshenite’s house, friends of hers, and they fought the Interlopers off, in that order,” said Onyx.

Cairngorm nodded. “Okay, alright, I guess that  _ sort _ of explains what’s going on here. I don’t suppose someone could give me a little more?”

“We’ll explain what happened on the way,” Pearl said, “but right now, we could really use your help. You work for the Grand Spymaster, right?”

“That I do!” Cairngorm said proudly. “I’m one of My Maxixe’s favorite spies!”

“Highly doubtful, but we have no other options,” Tanzanite said. “Goshenite has gone off to the front lines to confront the leader of the Interlopers in person, and we--”

“Goshie went to fight them alone!?” exclaimed Cairngorm. “Say no more, what do you need me to do?”

“We need to fight the Interlopers,” Pearl said. “And to do that, we need information, most likely the classified kind. And to get  _ that _ , we’ll need your help.”

“Doin’ a little espionage work, eh?” said Cairngorm. She let out a small chuckle. “Lady, you came to the right Gem!”


	10. One Step Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite and her crew are attacked by Primax Teptromina.

Chapter Ten: One Step Ahead

\- - -

_ The Gozyos System _ .

Glass shattered. Air rushed out of the now-unsealed bridge; the Gems within had to hold on to whatever was nearby to avoid being pulled into the void. All except Goshenite, who was slammed against the back wall by Teptromina.

Tenrit was unable to grab hold of anything in time. He found himself pulled away by the rush of air, hurtling into space. Just before he passed into the expanse, a hand grabbed onto his arm. “Got you!” said Nines.

“Looks like I’ve found you again,” Teptromina said. “Though, it might be more accurate to say you found me.” Goshenite struggled against his grip. “Suppose I should thank you for that.”

Pinned against the wall by her attacker, Goshenite couldn’t reach her gem to summon her weapon. “How...how did you know we were coming?” she managed to choke out.

“I have my ways.” One of Teptromina’s metal wings pressed its tip against Goshenite’s forehead, beginning to glow. “Now, why not make this easier for the both of us and stop struggling?”

Goshenite did her best to pull away from the blaster pressed against her head. “Obviously you don’t know me as well as you think you do if you think I’ll just lie down and die.”

“Oh, it’s not a matter of knowing you,” he said. “I just figured that since I have you dead to rights, I might as well give you a choice. I’ve often heard that the illusion of free will grants one a control over the masses that even--”

Before Teptromina could finish speaking, Topaz grabbed his shoulder from behind, hurling him towards the broken window. He stopped himself before flying out into space, but this gave Goshenite and the other Gems a chance to summon their weapons.

“And  _ I’ve _ often heard that distracting your opponent until help arrives works especially well on those who love the sound of their own voice,” said Goshenite.

Teptromina floated to the floor. “Noted,” he said quietly, sounding annoyed by his oversight. “Then what do you say to a different tactic?”

Goshenite readied her staff. Topaz swung her flail around above her head. Nines gripped tight to her khopesh, and aimed her blaster at the Interloper. All the other Quartzes surrounded Teptromina, weapons at the ready. “And what exactly would that tactic be?” asked Goshenite.

“Divide and conquer.”

The  _ Xenocide _ was suddenly rocked by a barrage of enemy fire. The second battleship had been all but forgotten during Teptromina’s assault. Gems fell to the floor from the impact, exactly as Teptromina had expected.

Flying into the air once again, the Interlopers’ leader hurled himself at Goshenite as he had done before. This time, the impact was great enough to smash through the floor, carrying both of them into the ship’s inner workings.

“Goshenite!” yelled Topaz, scanning for her in the hole she and Teptromina had vanished through, to no avail.

“Uh...guys?” said Tenrit. “Hate to say it, but we’ve got something else to worry about right now…”

The Interloper battleship was drawing closer to the  _ Xenocide _ , weapons preparing to fire again. “Uh-oh. Everyone brace for impact!” said Topaz.

Down in the lower levels, Teptrimina and Goshenite finally came to a stop near the ship’s core. Goshenite managed to pry her attacker off of her, and came rolling to a stop on the other side of the room. She re-summoned her vanished weapon, preparing to charge at Teptromina.

“The only reason you managed to best me last time was because you had me outnumbered,” said Teptromina. Now that you’re all alone, and with my  _ new and improved _ combat frame, you don’t stand a chance.”

“Is that so?” Goshenite replied. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I didn’t become the Supreme General of Homeworld by sitting behind a desk all day!” She charged the Interloper, hoping to catch him off-guard.

The ship was once again rattled by a barrage of cannonfire. Goshenite lost her footing, tumbling to the floor, where Teptromina followed up with two beams from his hands. Goshenite was then thrown up against the opposite wall. “Perhaps life behind a desk would have been more suitable for you…” he said.

“Shut up!” shouted the Beryl, getting to her feet. “What’s going on up there?” she muttered.

“What’s ‘going on up there’ is my soldiers finishing the job,” said Teptromina. “While you struggle to even survive against me, your flagship is being torn to pieces by my forces. Even if, by some wild twist of fate, you manage to destroy me again, it’s only a matter of time before you’re sent hurtling down to the planet below.”

“T-the planet below…” Goshenite said. Suddenly, she was struck by an idea. She raised her staff over her shoulder, throwing it at Teptromina. As she expected, he simply caught it before it could make impact.

“As I said, you don’t have much of a chance at--what?” Teptromina had been momentarily distracted by the thrown staff; when he looked back to Goshenite, she was enveloped in a bright glow. A blinding flash burst forth from her form. “AARGH!”

Blinded by the flash, Teptromina began firing beams in all directions, Goshenite ducking and dodging between them on her way over to a communicator. It was only due to sheer luck that the ship’s core was undamaged.

Meanwhile, up in the bridge, Goshenite’s team was struggling to deal with the assault. The  _ Xenocide _ was not in a good state; shields were down entirely, hull integrity was at sixty percent, and the enemy battleship was closing in. “Are the cannons charged yet?” asked Topaz?

“Y-yes, but--” a Nephrite said.

“Then whaddya waiting for!? Fire! Fire!” The crew did so, launching a barrage on the approaching ship. Plasma rounds tore through the hull, causing the fuel lines to erupt. Just like its twin, the battleship was destroyed. “See? What was so hard about that?”

“...That,” said the Nephrite, pointing towards the planet.

It took Topaz a moment to notice what she was pointing at. Part of the cloud of dust that surrounded Gozyos-IV was gradually breaking off from the main mass, making its way over towards them. It was then she remembered that it wasn’t dust that surrounded the planet. “Oh.  _ Oh _ .”

“Multiple warships inbound!” cried a Milky Quartz. “What should we do?”

“Can we keep firing?” asked Topaz.

“No, are you insane!?” said Tenrit. “We barely have enough firepower to hold off ten of them, and there looks to be ten  _ thousand _ ! We’d be better off just cutting our losses and returning to base.”

“That isn’t looking likely,” a Peridot said. “Warp drives are completely down. And at this rate, engines are likely to fail.”

“Well...I always did want to go down fighting,” said Nines.

“Don’t be like that!” said Tenrit. “There has to be something we can do; some sort of plan, something none of us would think of, like a...a--”

The onboard communicator suddenly crackled to life. “An...ear...e?” a voice came through. “Ca...nyone...he...m…?” A panel next to the call indicated it was coming from the core chamber. As every other Gem onboard was either on the bridge or at their battle stations, there was only one person it could be.

“Goshenite? My Goshenite, is that you?” said Topaz, talking back into the communicator. “Yes, we can hear you! Are you alright? What happened with Teptromina?”

“He’s still here, so I don’t have much time,” Goshenite replied. The communication had stabilized, so her voice was audible now, even if the quality wasn’t the greatest. “Listen: you need to take the ship down to the planet’s surface! It’s the only way we’ll be able to get out of this!”

“‘To the planet?’” said Topaz. “My Goshenite, did you not see the shard-load of ships they have over there? It’d probably be easier to get through a fine mesh screen!”

“We have to at least try!” she replied. “Otherwise, the Interlopers will eat us ali--”

“They will anyway!” said Topaz, not realizing that the feed had been cut. “Our shields are down completely, and--Goshenite? Goshenite!?”

A blast of energy from Teptromina’s wing had narrowly avoided hitting Goshenite, instead destroying the communicator. More beams followed, most dodged, some clipping Goshenite slightly. Each time she tried closing the distance to him, he would simply float to a different location.

“As much as I’m sure you would like to, you can’t keep this up forever,” Teptromina said, a hint of mocking in his tone. “One slip-up, and I’ll have you. And this will all be over.”

Although she was beginning to grow tired from the fight, Goshenite refused to let him see it. “And as much as I’m sure  _ you _ wish it would, shattering me won’t change a thing. There’s still Gems out there who will fight for Homeworld, fight to destroy you Interlopers. And even now, my crew is doing everything they can to escape your forces so we can live to fight another day!”

Using what little engine-power the ship had left, the bridge crew urged the  _ Xenocide _ forward. Straight at the Interlopers they hoped to flee. Said Interlopers, although confused that the Gem vessel was speeding towards them, nevertheless opened fire. The  _ Xenocide _ did not bother returning it. The Interloper ships were too many in number, and even so, they would hopefully be out of range before long. The already-heavily-damaged ship took even more hits, but it soldiered on. The planet’s atmosphere grew ever closer.

“So  _ dramatic _ ,” said Teptromina. All six of his wings aimed directly at Goshenite, and all six of them fired; though she tried to dodge, he was too quick, and all six hit their mark. Goshenite was once more thrown back against the wall. Her physical form flickered, looking more haggared than ever, but she, too, soldiered on.

Knowing it would be futile, but not having many other options, Goshenite tried once again to summon her staff. Teptromina got to her before she could; he grabbed her by the throat, lifting her into the air and slamming her up against another wall.

“Why must you make this so difficult?” asked Teptromina. “All I want is to subjugate your kind, just as was done in the old days. Is that really asking so much?”

“My...loyalty lies with the--the Diamonds,” said Goshenite. “And n-nothing will change that!”

“Pity,” he said. He raced away from the wall, fingers still clamped around her throat, over to the core. Goshenite was slammed against it so hard that cracks appeared in its surface. She felt a slight tingle as a small bit of energy leaked out onto her back. “And here I thought breaking your will would be enjoyable. But you’re just so annoyingly rebellious. Just like that Emerald character…”

“What...how do you…?”

“How do I know Emerald?” he asked. “I know Emerald because I know  _ everything _ …”

Although past the initial blockade, the  _ Xenocide _ continued to take fire. The outer hull was now all but shredded, and the engines held on by barely a thread; gravity was now doing most of the work.

“Hull integrity at thirty percent...heat shields are intact, but they aren’t looking good,” a Nephrite said.

Now at Teptromina’s mercy, Goshenite had only one option. It wasn’t a good plan, but she had no choice. Wrapping her arms around him, she summoned her spear.

The pointed tip of her spear emerged from the gemstone on her lower back with enough force to pierce into the already-damaged core. It acted as a conduit, sending hundreds of volts coursing through both Goshenite and Teptromina. Unable to hold himself aloft anymore, the Primax fell, dragging his opponent with him. Goshenite knew what came next; she turned the two of them around in the air, so that he was positioned between herself and the core. This was possibly the only thing that saved her.

The core exploded. Shrapnel was the least of their worries, as a wave of energy surged outwards through the room, hurling them against the wall. Goshenite didn’t mind the impact as much this time: she was mostly just glad she didn’t take the full brunt of the explosion.

As for the ship, the core explosion rocked it harder than any of the shots were. With no power, it fell like a stone; a meteor, to be precise. Many of the Interloper ships backed off, assuming it was either already destroyed, or would be soon enough.

Although his body was largely shredded, Teptromina was still kicking. “You must really be dedicated to your cause,” he said, almost laughing. “You’d doom yourself and your crew just to avoid death at my hands? It’s almost impressive…”

Goshenite looked almost as bad as he did. Nevertheless, she was at least able to get to her feet. “Not as impressive as having a backup plan,” she said.

“A backup…?”

A calm mechanical voice sounded throughout the ship’s halls. “Backup generator online. Restoring power functions.” The engines roared back to life, stopping the ship before it could fall any further. The vessel evened out, heading closer to the surface at a much safer pace.

Teptromina did laugh this time. “I’ll admit, I didn’t expect that. You win this round, Supreme General. But next time, you won’t be so lucky. Now I know I can’t just beat you with brawn: I have to use brains as well. Until next time…” His glowing eye faded to black as his metal body went limp.

Goshenite tossed the Interloper’s inert form over by the wreckage of the primary core--she knew well enough now that he wasn’t finished just yet. Rather than wait for him to detonate, she hurried back to the bridge.

“I don’t know how...but somehow we were able to pull that off,” said Nines.

“Yeah, we did,” Tenrit said. “I mean, we didn’t really do a whole lot, but we survived…”

“That we did,” Topaz said. “But what now?”

“I can tell you what.” Goshenite stumbled her way back to her captain’s chair.

“Goshenite? What happened down there?” asked Tenrit. “Are you alright?”

“I’ve been better, but I’ll live,” she said.

“Where’s Tep?” asked Nines.

“I won,” Goshenite said. “Had to sacrifice the primary core to do it, but at least he’s out of our hair for the time being…”

“Oh, is that what happened?” said Topaz.

“So...this is Gozyos,” Goshenite said.

The landscape below consisted almost entirely of scorched earth; it looked almost volcanic. The only landmarks that could be seen in the distance were the stomping forms of Apexes, and the ever-present creeping of Broodmothers. Occasionally, a blast from an Interloper vessel in the upper atmosphere would streak down to the surface. Sometimes, a blast from an unseen Gem outpost would be fired in retaliation. It was obvious that the past five thousand years of this planet had been in war.

“First thing’s first: we need to contact a local outpost and get this ship fixed up,” Goshenite said. “We’ll work out a plan from there.”

“Understood, My Goshenite,” said a Peridot. She sent out an open broadcast to any Gem on the planet’s surface. “Anyone receiving this message, this is the  _ Xenocide _ of White Diamond’s armada. We are in need of urgent repairs, please respond, over.”

Everyone waited in silence for some time; no response. “Try again,” Goshenite said.

“This is the  _ Xenocide _ . We are in need of urgent repairs, is anyone receiving this? The Supreme General is on board, repeat, the Supreme General is on board. Can anyone hear us, over?”

More silence. Just when it seemed like they were alone, a voice finally responded. “Xenocide, this is Horizon Outpost. We’ve heard your call, and have prepared a hangar for you to land. Sending you coordinates now, over.”

Although not all were audible, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. “Understood, Horizon Outpost, we are en route now. Be there shortly;  _ Xenocide _ out.”

“Well...no offense, My Goshenite, but this is sort of a fine mess you’ve gotten us into,” Topaz said. “I just hope we can find something to use against Teptromina in all this…”

“We do know one thing,” Goshenite said. “Based on this fight, he learns from past engagements. He’s smarter than I thought he’d be. So we’ll just have to be smarter in turn.”


	11. Remembering the Past, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Cairngorm's help, the team sneaks into the restricted wing of the surveillance headquarters. Pearl and Cairngorm recount past experiences with Goshenite.

Chapter Eleven: Remembering the Past, Part 2

\- - -

_ Homeworld, Capital District. Surveillance headquarters. _

With a cold stare, the Agate placed in charge of security examined each and every Gem that passed through the main entrance. If even one of them were to trigger an alarm with improper credentials, she would be on them like a rabid dog. It was what she lived for; what she waited for. Her gung-ho attitude was the exact reason Maxixe had placed her in charge of security to begin with.

This Agate thought nothing of it when Cairngorm Facet 7X42 Cut 55L walked through those doors. Aside from her initial almost-lunge when the doors opened, of course, but she did that with everybody. 99L was one of Maxixe’s favorite spies, after all. She certainly had the proper clearance, and thus was no longer of any interest to the Agate. After a brief nod of acknowledgement, she turned her attention back to the entrance.

Had she looked a little bit closer, she might have noticed a barely-hidden expression of nervousness on Cairngorm’s face. Or she might have noticed the way she carried herself, like she was being afraid to bump into something. Of the way she moved, like she was being jostled around by several other Gems behind her who could not be seen. But her only interest was in apprehending unauthorized personnel, which Cairngorm was not. She was ruthless, but not very observant.

Once she had gotten far enough away to be beyond the Agate’s range of sight and hearing, Cairngorm took a moment to breathe a sigh or relief. “Stars, that was close. I keep saying that Holly Blue’s way too overzealous for just being a glorified security guard.”

“Forget that, can you get us to where we need to go, or not?” Although it sounded like Onyx’s voice, the Gem in question was nowhere to be seen. Her voice seemed to come out of thin air from behind Cairngorm.

“Yeah, yeah, cool it,” Cairngorm said. “We just need to wait for an empty lift to come by. We can’t risk all of us into one with someone else, they’re bound to notice something’s up.”

Cairngorm walked the familiar walkways of the compound, making special attention to avoiding walking too near any Gems that she passed. That same invisible force from before seemed to jostle her around slightly, but this was fortunately imperceptible to the other Gems. When she reached the elevators, she sidled up against the wall, patiently waiting for one to come by that was empty.

Before too long of waiting, a few Gems stepped out of the lift, and none stepped in. Before any could have the chance to do so, Cairngorm hurried inside, silently urging some unseen party to do the same. She quickly hit the buttons, closing the door and sending the elevator towards the lower levels. “Okay, you can let go now.”

A hand lifted away from her shoulder: Pearl’s, who had her other hand clasped over her gemstone. Tanzanite’s hand lifted off of Pearl’s, and Onyx’s of Tanzanite’s previously forming a sort of chain to which Cairngorm had extended her invisibility. The three (four, rather) of them relaxed now that they were free to be visible once more. “Alright...so, are we safe now?” asked Pearl.

“For now,” Cairngorm replied. “We’ve got a few minutes until we reach the restricted wing. It  _ should _ be empty right now, but I’ll tell you when to group up again, just in case.”

“What should we expect to find down in this classified wing?” asked Tanzanite.

“Well, that’s where the stuff from and for experiments is kept,” Cairngorm explained. “Most of it belongs to Heliodor and her staff. Down there, we can find...well, I’m not sure what, but hopefully it can help. There’s gotta be something that can help down there, right?”

“I hope so.” Pearl had been watching the colored lights travel across the screen as the elevator descended. “Emerald and Goshenite have done so much for me, I just want to do something for them. Homeworld, too, of course, but you know how it is.”

“That reminds me,” said Cairngorm. “From what I remember Goshenite saying, she and Emerald...well, they weren’t exactly on the best of terms. How’d you go about getting on both sides of that?”

“Well,” said Pearl, “it started after Emerald was...after what happened to her.”

\- - -

_ Homeworld, Capital District. Era 1, Year 3 _ .

Pearl concentrated, feeling the shape of the device in her hands, the smoothness of the metal. The barrel was lined up with the target, as best as she could manage. She tried not to shake as she squeezed her index finger.

A burst of plasma shot out from the blaster. Pearl’s arms were thrown slightly from the kickback, but the shot was on target; a holographic shape in the distance exploded into fractals as the blast hit its mark. Not her first hit, but her first bullseye.

“Excellent, dahling, excellent!” A pink Gem, taller than her, but not quite as tall as Emerald stood over her, holding her shoulders. She wore a ballgown despite not being at a ball, and had her hair tied up in three buns, each on top of the other. “Why, soon enough, you’ll be a regular marksGem!”

“Thanks, Morganite,” said Pearl. She rubbed the back of her head bashfully, something on her mind. “Do...do you really mean that? You aren’t just saying that to be nice, are you?”

“Oh, nonsense, nonsense!” Morganite cooed, petting Pearl’s head. “You really are a natural at this shooting business! And it isn’t just that, either--I think it’s wonderful you want to do your part for the good of Homeworld! That should be any Gem’s top priority, whether she’s a Pearl or a Diamond!”

Pearl looked down at the blaster in her hands. Pink and Green. Emerald’s last gift to her before she left. Morganite saw it as a tool for her to use to Homeworld’s benefit. Emerald had seen it as a means for Pearl to protect herself. But Pearl herself saw it as something more. Both the two previous things, but also, a way to continue Emerald’s legacy. Goshenite kept trying to tell her that Emerald wasn’t gone, and that they could fix her one day, and she believed her...but sometimes, she wondered if that was true.

“Yes, you certainly are much more practical than my previous Pearl,” Morganite said. “The less said about her, the better,” she added bitterly. Pearl wondered what she meant by that, but figured it would be better not to ask.

“Pearl? Hey, Pearl!” Onyx called out from the distance, waving to the pair.

“Oh, is it time for you to go already?” said Morganite. “Such a shame--we were having such a good time together, weren’t we?”

“Mhmm,” Pearl nodded. She placed the gun into her gemstone for safekeeping. “I’ll see you at the same time next week, then?”

“And not a moment later,” said Morganite, waving to Pearl as she departed. “And do give my regards to Goshenite when you see her!”

Pearl waved back as she and Onyx met, the pair of them departing for the train. “So, how was shooting practice?” the latter asked.

“It went well,” Pearl answered. “Morganite really seems to like me. I think she still wants me to be her Pearl.”

“I’ll say,” Onyx said, almost laughing. “After what happened with her last Pearl...yeesh.”

“And what exactly  _ did _ happen?” asked Pearl.

Onyx exhaled rather forcefully. “Well, long story short, she and a Ruby kinda had a thing for each other. One day, Morganite came home to find that the two had fused. Called herself ‘Rhodonite’ or some nonsense. She kicked them--I guess it’d have been ‘her’ at that point--out after that. She was mad about it for weeks!”

Pearl didn’t say anything in response. Silently, she wondered what Emerald would have said about that.

Having carried them to the Aquarius Sector, the train arrived at their stop, and the two stepped off. Wordlessly, the pair walked towards their shared destination: Emerald’s old home.

Technically, it still was her home--she just didn’t live there right now. Currently, Emerald, or the beast that used to be her, was contained within a bubble in a secure room within Goshenite’s residence. Who, as it turned out, was also present.

“Oh, Miss Goshenite,” Pearl said as she and Onyx stepped through the doors. “I didn’t know you’d be here as well. I guess that’s what Morganite meant.”

The white Beryl had seated herself at a table, beside Tanzanite. “Yes, I thought now would be a good time to come over, considering you all would be here as well. I...wanted to talk to you specifically about something, Pearl.”

Pearl blinked in confusion. “Me? About what?”

Onyx sat down next to Tanzanite just as Goshenite stood. “You see...considering Emerald is being kept at my home for the time being, I would like to offer you...if you’d like to stay there, so as to be closer to her.” She adjusted herself, awkwardly trying to decide what to say next. “I’ve read that it often takes Pearls some time to...come to terms with things when their owner...is, er, unavailable. Permanently. Not to say that Emerald is gone for good, but…” She trailed off.

“Oh. Um…” Pearl didn’t expect this to be what Goshenite was here for. “I...” She looked over at the two Gems at the table.

“Hey, it’s your call, Pearl,” Onyx said. Tanzanite nodded, saying nothing.

After a brief hesitation, Pearl came to a decision. “Well then, I suppose so. If you’ll have me, of course.”

“Excellent,” Goshenite said, nodding. “We’ll leave as soon as you are ready, be it a few minutes or a few days. I...Of course, this doesn’t make me Your Goshenite, I’m merely…” Trailed off again.

“I suppose I’m ready now,” said Pearl. “Though if I can ask...how come?” Goshenite only blinked in reply. “Why do you care about Emerald so much suddenly? I mean, no offense, but...did something happen?”

A sigh. “Something did indeed happen, Pearl,” Goshenite responded. “I realized I had Emerald all wrong. I’ve done both her and yourself a tremendous disservice, and I’d like to do what I can to make up for that.”

Pearl shuffled in place slightly. “Well...thank you, Miss Goshenite. That really means a lot.”

In that moment, however brief, there was an understanding between the two Gems. From two ends of Homeworld’s caste system, of two different philosophies, in that moment, they understood each other.

“Oh, and Morganite says hi.”

\- - -

“And that...that was sort of when I realized Goshenite really was sorry,” said Pearl. “Like, when I really, really knew she meant it.”

“Yeah. I was surprised, too,” said Onyx. “I always figured she just had some sorta thing against Emerald for whatever reason. I mean, she sorta did, but it all fell apart after the battle at Tacitus-4. Real eye-opener for her, I think.”

Cairngorm nodded, smiling. “Yeah, Goshenite’s great, isn’t she? She has a bit of a rough exterior, but she really shines once you can get through it.”

Onyx raised an eyebrow at her fellow Quartz. “So, what’s your story, anyway? Why do you love her so much when she ain’t even Yours?”

“That’s simple,” Cairngorm said. “She saved my life.”

\- - -

_ Alboreas. Era 1, year 5,310,145 _ .

Goshenite wrung her hands behind her back as she stared out the glass barrier separating the planet from her base. The ground had become bare, the line between the local flora and the budding Homeworld colony was clear as day, the divide formed by dead and sickly trees. Before long, this planet would be another one of White Diamond’s numerous colonies, and Goshenite was growing impatient waiting for this.

Her waiting was interrupted when the door to her temporary inner sanctum slid open. She whipped around, partially angry at being interrupted, partially relieved at now having something to deal with--only to find that nobody was there. Overcome by confusion and curiosity, she walked over to investigate. No sign of any Gem nearby, either outside or in. Shaking her head, she closed the door and returned to impatiently staring out the window. That was, of course, when she noticed a glint of something brownish-orange out of the corner of her eye.

“You know,” she said irritably, “when you leave your gemstone exposed, you can still be seen.” She turned around to face the intruder. “No reason to hide now.”

The owner of the brownish-orange gemstone appeared. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” the Cairngorm said quickly.

“You didn’t mean to come in here?” said Goshenite, unamused. “What’s your designation?”

“Cairngorm 7X42 Cut 55L,” she said mechanically, with worry clear in her voice. “Please, I’m sorry, I didn’t--”

“Yes, I’m sure, now leave me be,” Goshenite said, pointing towards the door.

“I can’t! They’ll kill me!” Cairngorm exclaimed. “Please, I didn’t do anything! It’s all a mistake!”

For a moment, Goshenite wasn’t sure how to respond. “What...are you raving about?” she asked.

“T-the injectors!” she yelped. “I was practicing my cloaking over there, a-and they just fell! I didn’t do it, I swear, but they--”

A sudden banging at the door interrupted her. Cairngorm yelped again, turning invisible once more. More confused than ever despite this explanation, Goshenite walked over and opened the door. A pair of Amethysts stood there.

“Sorry fer botherin’ you, My Goshenite, but we’ve got a situation ‘bout the injectors,” one of them said. “In that they...broke.”

“Reports say that a Cairngorm was seen in the area,” said the other. “We just need your approval to send out a search party.”

Goshenite thought for a moment. “That won’t be necessary,” she said. “The Cairngorm’s already reported back to me.”

The Amethysts looked confused. “Um, are we on the same page here?” said the first. “She’s one of Blue’s. She’s the prime suspect for the sabotage.”

The white Gem scoffed. “I know she is, but she isn’t a suspect. She can’t be, because I sent her to investigate the sabotage.”

“You did?” said the other Quartz. “So...it wasn’t her, then?”

“Of course not!” said Goshenite. “Cairngorm, come here, please.”

Reluctantly and slowly, Cairngorm returned to visibility. She timidly made her way over to Goshenite, hiding from the two Amethysts behind her.

“I had heard of the sabotage beforehand, so I sent her in covertly to try and catch the culprit in the act. Unfortunately, you found her before she could report back to me, so she needed to lose you first. This  _ was _ supposed to be covert, but I suppose there’s no helping it now.”

Both Amethysts looked at one another. “‘S that true?” one of them said.

“O-of course it is,” said Cairngorm. “You all came at me so suddenly that I panicked.” She had taken on a much more professional demeanor. “I didn’t want to blow my cover, after all.”

“Well, uh...I guess that settles it,” said the other Amethyst. “Let us know if you find the culprit.”

“Indeed.” Goshenite closed the door before turning to face Cairngorm. “As for  _ you _ , you can leave as soon as they’re gone.”

Cairngorm wasn’t sure what to say. “I...T-thank you, Your Brilliance,” she said, returning to her previous anxiousness. “But...how come? Why did you save me?”

Goshenite scoffed, returning to her window. “Those injectors are notoriously faulty. It  _ couldn’t _ have been you.”

“But...you didn’t have to save me,” she said.

“I certainly didn’t, but there’s far too much paperwork involved for me to  _ not _ ,” said Goshenite. “Now scram, before I change my mind.”

As she headed for the door, Cairngorm shot one last look at her savior over her shoulder. “Thank you, Goshenite. I owe you my life.”

Goshenite said nothing. At first. She waited until she was sure Cairngorm was gone, before adding a “You’re welcome.”

\- - -

“Wow,” said Pearl. “She really did save you.”

“She did!” said Cairngorm. “Like I said, I owe her my life!”

Tanzanite spoke up. “Not to ruin the moment, but we are almost at the restricted wing.”

A quick glance at the screen confirmed this. “Shard!” said Onyx. “Quick, formation!” Everyone crowded around Cairngorm, who extended her powers to them once more, until only she was visible. The door slid open, revealing that the room was empty. All three of them turned visible again as Cairngorm released her hold.

“So, this is where the magic happens,” Pearl said. “Good thing there aren’t any...Gems...what  _ is _ this place?”

Pearl had noticed what the room ahead of them contained. Interlopers, dozens of them, in various forms of disrepair. Unidentified creatures floated in tubes of similarly-unidentified liquid. Shards of gems were contained in bubbles, tubed attaching them to the wall.

“Ladies and Gems…” said Cairngorm, “welcome to Sublevel X!”


	12. Safe Haven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite and her crew take refuge within Horizon Outpost on Gozyos-IV, where they can regroup and form a new plan.

Chapter Twelve: Safe Haven

\- - -

_ Gozyos-IV, Horizon Outpost _ .

Amongst the harsh red and black of the planet’s surface, there stood a lone blue island above the devastation. Protected from the destruction by both an energy barrier and a cloaking array, Horizon, and outposts like it, were all that remained of Homeworld’s influence on the ruined world. The only thing standing between the Interlopers, and the rest of Gemkind.

The  _ Xenocide _ , barely still airworthy, flew towards this island as fast as its dying engines could carry it without shaking itself apart. And just like her flagship, Goshenite, too, was looking worse for wear. Both the Gem and her ship were all but torn apart, barely holding together, once-brilliant white faded in many places to grey. But, like her ship, she managed to hold herself together.

“So…” Tenrit said, trying to start a conversation. “That Teptromina guy really messed you up pretty good. You sure you’re gonna make it?”

“My gem is still intact, isn’t it?” Goshenite answered, refusing to show weakness. “This is nothing. In a few hours, I’ll be back up and ready for round two.”

“Let’s just hope it takes a while before round two gets here…” Topaz said sardonically.

The damaged vessel drew nearer to its destination. A voice came over the comms: “ _ Xenocide _ , you are clear for docking in bay thirteen. Please proceed.” The ship proceeded into the hangar, clamps moving to hold it in place. Quartzes, Peridots, and a handful of Rubies rushed around to secure it, each of them wearing yellow diamond emblems. “Attention, crew of the  _ Xenocide _ , your vessel is in place. You may now exit the craft. Welcome, Supreme General.”

“Mm. Not exactly a hero’s welcome,” said Nines as the doors opened, and the ramp descended. “Then again, we’re not exactly heroes.”

“Not with that attitude!” said Topaz, following Goshenite as she strolled down to the floor.

Gems present beside the ship saluted Goshenite as she passed by, a few of them adding a ‘Your Radiance’ or ‘Your Brilliance’ as they did so. She nodded in acknowledgement to each, but paid them little mind collectively. Her path took her towards an elevator to the upper levels, in front of which a Nephrite was waiting, a visor over her eye.

“Supreme General,” she said, saluting like the others. “Welcome to Horizon Outpost. If I may ask, what brings you all the way out here to the Gozyos system?”

“Defense business,” Goshenite answered curtly. “I’m following a lead that, if it pans out, could lead to a major win against the ‘lopers.”

It was clear from the Nephrite’s face that she wanted to know more, but it was also clear that she knew better than to inquire further. “Of course, Supreme General. By the way, My Zoisite wanted to see you. She’s waiting in the communications room, straight ahead. Oh, and we’ll get your ship fixed up, good as new!”

“Very good,” said Goshenite. She turned to face Topaz. “You wait here with the others. I’ll call if you’re needed.” The red Gem nodded as Goshenite made her way into the elevator alongside the Nephrite.The white Beryl was led through the halls of the upper levels. Gems raced back and forth beside them, constantly on high alert due to their surroundings. When the base ran the risk of an attack at any second, lenience was not an option.“Right through here, Supreme General,” said the Nephrite, directing Goshenite towards a door at the end of a hallway. She waited outside as Goshenite headed inside.

Within the communications room, Goshenite was greeted by the sight of a pale yellow Gem accessing multiple holoscreens at once--aided by her four ankle-length ponytails acting as arms, each one splitting into three ‘fingers’ at the tips. “Supreme General Goshenite, I am glad you could join me,” she said; the same voice that greeted the  _ Xenocide _ over the radio. “I am Zoisite Facet C9X6 Cut 5O4, the overseer of this installation.” She turned around, revealing a diagonal, square gemstone in place of her nose. “I trust you wouldn’t mind filling me in on the state of things?”

“Long story short, we were ambushed,” Goshenite said. “A...particular high-ranking Interloper caught us when we warped into the system. If things had gone right, it would’ve been the other way around.”

Zoisite turned around, continuing to sort through the seemingly-endless supply of information on her screens. “I see. And was this high-ranking Interloper the lead you mentioned earlier, by any chance?”

“...How did you…?”

“It is my job to record and archive everything that happens within and around this outpost.” Zoisite pulled up one of her screens, and showed it to Goshenite. It played security footage from a few minutes earlier, when Goshenite first met with Nephrite. She then turned to face the Gem herself once again. “However, my reach can only extend so far. I am currently unaware of what your lead is; if you would share it with me, I will do everything in my power to assist you, Your Brilliance.”

Goshenite’s eyes narrowed, but only for a moment. “Are you familiar with the name ‘Primax Teptromina?’ Or perhaps only one of those two?”

A brief glance at her files. “I am not.”

“If my information is correct--which it is, I know that for a fact--then the one called Primax Teptromina is the leader of the Interlopers; their highest authority. Even more so than the Generals.”

Zoisite pondered this for a moment. “May I have permission to access security footage from your flagship?” she asked.

Goshenite gave her the go-ahead. Within moments, the yellow Gem was watching Goshenite’s battle with Teptromina, and the  _ Xenocide _ ’s subsequent descent to the planet’s surface, her worry apparent behind her stoic exterior. When she had seen enough, she turned the video off, staying silent for a brief while.

“This is...concerning,” she said. “The one you refer to as Primax Teptromina is unlike any Interloper creation I have ever seen. More advanced, more ruthless…”

“More intelligent, too,” added Goshenite. “And that isn’t even getting into the worst of it: that’s the  _ second _ time I killed him. I don’t know how, but he came back from the first one, and he’ll likely come back again.”

“All Interlopers seem to work in this way, as far as the information we have collected tells us,” said Zoisite. “However, given that only your Primax seems to utilize it, it adds to your theory of him being the Interloper supreme commander.”

“Theory nothing, I have two sources confirming it!” Goshenite said. “One, he said so himself, and two, one of my...colleague’s friends was hooked up to the Interloper network for some time. He found all sorts of data swimming around in there.”

Zoisite was intrigued, and not just because of the prospect of new data. “‘He?’” she repeated.

“Yes. I think he used to be some sort of organic. ‘Used to,’ because he had to have his body rebuilt with Interloper tech--I don’t know the full story.”

“Interesting,” Zoisite said. “I will have to speak with this--But I digress. As of this moment, it is apparent that Primax Teptromina is the greatest threat Homeworld currently faces. And given his...shall we say,  _ interest _ in you, I fear it is only a matter of time before he comes searching for you.”

A worry Goshenite had had for some time finally made itself known. “That...that’s another problem we have,” she said. “Before the altercation you witnessed, we had only just come out of warp. Not only that, but Teptromina should have had no idea we were coming. Somehow, he was able to perfectly predict when and where we would arrive.”

“That is indeed concerning,” said Zoisite, one of her ponytails moving to her chin. “I am afraid I do not have any idea how that is possible. If I find any leads, I will be glad to--”

“Oh,” Goshenite interrupted, “and one more thing. The organic I mentioned earlier, Tenrit...he was able to see through their cloaking somehow. Again, I don’t know exactly how, but I figured it was important enough to mention.”

Zoisite had gone back to feverishly typing on her holoscreens. “Most likely as a result of being infused with Interloper technology. Still, I feel it would be beneficial to us all if I could have a look at your colleague’s friend.”

“I’ll speak to him about it,” said Goshenite, turning to leave. “Is there anything else you need?”

“Not at this time, Supreme General. Though if there is anything you need, you will generally be able to find me within this chamber.”

After exiting the room, Goshenite made her way back towards the hangar. Nephrite, who had been waiting outside the room, hurried after her. “Oh, um, Supreme General, the Gems under your command have all made their way to level-C. I thought you’d like to know…”

“Thank you, Nephrite.” Goshenite diverted her path towards the mentioned location, Nephrite taking her old one. The elevator carried her upwards to where her crew resided, intermingling amongst the few local personnel. Topaz was waiting to greet her.

“So, how’d it go?” she asked.

“As well as it could have,” replied Goshenite. “She said she’d look for some more information that could help us, but I don’t think there’s really anything she knows right now that we don’t.” Strolling through the room, she came across Tenrit and Nines. “You. Organic. Ziosite says she wants to talk to you.”

“She does?” asked the former Valurian. “To me?”

“Yes. Something about you being part Interloper. She’s curious about it, and thinks she might be able to find something useful to help us.”

Tenrit stood up. “Well, if it can get us out of this mess,” he said.

“Oh, no you don’t!” said Nines. She stood up as well. “If you’re going down there, I’m coming with you. If I know these science-type Gems, you’ll need someone there to stop her if she tried to dissect you or something!”

“That’s...not exactly reassuring,” Tenrit said. “But, if you’re going with me…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe,” the Citrine said, putting an arm around Tenrit as the two walked off. “Later, Goshie!”

“Don’t call me Goshie,” Goshenite said, quiet enough that she was sure Nines didn’t hear.

“So,” Topaz began. “What’s the plan, My Goshie?”

“Now, don’t  _ you _ start,” Goshenite said. “But...we don’t really have a plan. We stay here a while, lick our wounds, and see what Teptromina does next.”

“Hmm. Can’t say I really like that plan,” said Topaz. “This outpost isn’t that well defended. If he finds this place…” She didn’t need to finish.

“I don’t like it either,” Goshenite admitted. “But given how little we know of what he’s planning, there’s little else we can do.”

“So, basically, we sit around and wait for him to ambush us,” Topaz said. “To be fair, I’ve heard worse ideas.”

“As have I, but I’ve usually been able to avoid them.” Goshenite stared out the window at the landscape. The distant Gozyos sun peeked over the horizon, illuminating the molten fields surrounding them. “Given what Teptromina has shown himself to be capable of thus far...I hate to imagine what comes next…”


	13. Sublevel X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While searching for information on Project: Giganova, the team runs into some unexpected problems.

Chapter Thirteen: Sublevel X

\- - -

_ Homeworld, surveillance headquarters, Sublevel X. _

The four Gems stepped out into the room, Cairngorm leading the way. The other three were marveling at the many experiments present within, with a combination of wonder and unease.

“Yes indeed, this place is off-limits to just about everyone,” Cairngorm explained. “Only a very select few are allowed down here!”

Onyx glanced around, noticing a surprising lack of personnel. “If this place is so secret and stuff, where’s all the guards?” she asked.

“Like I said: select few only,” Cairngorm said. “This wing is restricted to only the highest-level personnel, like myself! Not bragging or anything, it’s just true. Anyways, let’s move on.”

She set off down the hallway, leaving the others to follow. “So...exactly what is it that goes on down here?” asked Pearl. She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

Cairngorm shrugged as she walked. “Don’t know, really. Little of this, little of that. Just because I  _ can _ come down here doesn’t mean I  _ do _ . It’s my job to ‘collect and relay information,’ not ask questions. But there is something I’m pretty sure we’d be interested in.”

“And what is that?” Tanzanite asked.

“It all started a couple months ago,” Cairngorm began. “The Science Minister was down here working some sort of experiment with My Maxixe. I wasn’t involved, but I had some new information on the Interlopers to deliver. I was supposed to come down, tell My Maxixe, and leave. But, as a spy, my natural curiosity got the better of me. I overheard Heliodor talking about something I probably shouldn’t have.”

“Which was?” asked Onyx.

“I have no clue,” Cairngorm admitted. Onyx, Pearl, and even Tanzanite visibly deflated. “No, I mean, not entirely,” she continued. “I didn’t know what most of what she said meant, but I did hear something about something called ‘Project: Giganova.’ Whatever that is, she seemed pretty secretive about it. It must be important.”

“And we are here to find out more about this project?” asked Tanzanite.

“Yup,” Cairngorm said. “Heliodor was making absolute sure she was alone when she was talking. She said...she said it could end the war.”

“Pretty lofty hopes,” said Onyx. “Where should we start looking?”

“Down here.” Cairngorm led them to a computer terminal at the end of the long room. “This is where all of the info the Grand Spymaster’s spies collect goes. Info on Project: Giganova should be here, too, but it’ll probably be encrypted. Tanzanite, think you could manage?”

“It is possible.”

After Cairngorm got her to the files, Tanzanite took over. She extended her hands over the console, and her fingers extended, snaking their way into the machine. “I have...located some hidden files,” she said, her eyes flashing. “They are...heavily encrypted, however. This may...take a while.”

“What exactly are we supposed to do once we figure this stuff out?” asked Onyx. “Say we find out what Project: Giganova is. What then?”

“Whatever we can,” Cairngorm said. “We take what we already know about the Interlopers and Teptromina and all that, and use it to help.”

Onyx shrugged, shaking her head, as she wandered off. “Not much of a plan, but whatever. Let me know when you’re done here.”

Pearl, unable to really do much to speed up the hack, decided to follow her. She was able to get a closer look at some of the strange experiments the room was filled with. Most weren’t too different than things she had already seen, not to say that made them any less unsettling. Of particular interest were the creatures floating in giant tubes. They looked like organics, but on closer inspection, they seemed to be made of stone.

“What are these things?” Pearl wondered aloud.

Onyx took a closer look. “Looks like a proto-Gem to me,” she said.

“A what?”

“Proto-Gem. They’re...actually, I don’t really know what they are exactly, but they live underground, in the tunnels and caves near Homeworld’s core. Some people think they’re what Gems used to be. This one looks like a Shale to me.”

“How do you know so much about them?” Pearl asked.

“Emerald,” explained Onyx. “Back in the day, a while before the Earth War, she went through this whole phase where she wanted to learn as much about proto-Gems as she could. She was obsessed with the things!”

“Huh.” Pearl examined the creature. “I wonder why?”

“Beats me,” said Onyx. “She did always like organics, and proto-Gems are sorta similar. Maybe you can ask her one day.”

Tanzanite continued trying to crack the encryption. “How’s it going?” asked Cairngorm.

“More difficult than expected,” said Tanzanite. “These are the most...secure defenses I have...ever come across. I cannot...bypass the firewalls.”

Eventually, after trying for a while, Tanzanite was forced to withdraw. Her fingers retracted as she staggered back from the computer. “Tanzanite, are you okay?” said Cairngorm, holding her arms out to catch her.

“Yes, I am fine,” Tanzanite said. “It is odd: the files on Project: Giganova appeared to be disguised as glitches in the system. As such, I was unable to retrieve any useful information. I did uncover one useful tidbit of information, however.”

“And what might that be?” said Cairngorm.

“Specimen B-18,” Tanzanite replied. “Whatever it is, it knows something.”

Cairngorm looked off in the distance before walking away. Tanzanite followed. “Let’s see...section B is right here, so 28 would be...this one.”

On the table marked 18 was an Interloper; a Raptor, to be specific. Oddly, unlike the other Interlopers situated around the room, this one showed no signs of damage, even minor. Nevertheless, it sat completely still, just as dead as the rest.

“So, what’s so special about this one?” asked Cairngorm.

Tanzanite stepped closer to the robot. “I do not know. It seems to be connected to Project: Giganova in some way. I will need to access its memories.” As she did with the terminal, Tanzanite extended her fingers into the machine’s head. Her eyes began glowing again. “I am now seeing what it saw.”

“And what did it see?” Cairngorm asked.

“Hold on,” said Tanzanite. After a moment, she spoke again. “This unit was among others sent to investigate Homeworld activity in the Imperia Nebula. A small scouting party...their search ended in the Mieren system. They were shot down approaching Mieren-VII.”

“The Mieren system? That’s strange,” Cairngorm said. “Why be so protective of Mieren-VII? We don’t even have an outpost there. There’s not even a communication hub there like on Rulax-14!”

“The Interloper ship crashed on a nearby asteroid,” Tanzanite continued. “This unit was the only one undamaged. Strangely, it activated self-termination protocols before the ship could be scavenged.”

“Doesn’t seem  _ that _ strange,” said Cairngorm. “It probably just didn’t want Homeworld finding it and getting access to its secrets.”

“Active or inactive should not have mattered to an Interloper,” said Tanzanite. “As I am now, they would have been able to access its data regardless. I see no reason for it to have...Oh no…”

Cairngorm looked up in concern to see Tanzanite disconnect from the inert Raptor. “What? Why ‘oh no?’ What’s wrong?”

Tanzanite backed away from the Interloper. “The self-termination was a temporary measure! It was waiting for an opportune moment to--”

Glowing red light returned to the Interloper’s darkened eyes. Immediately it sat up, its arms converting into blasters, opening fire. Tanzanite was already far enough to avoid being hit, but Cairngorm was not. Several of the rapid shots collided with her, knocking her to the floor. The Raptor jumped to its feet as the rockets on its back flared to life, launching itself into the air and away from the two.

“Cairngorm, are you injured?” asked Tanzanite.

Cairngorm scrambled up and hurried to cover next to Tanzanite. “No, I’m fine,” she said. “Just a light-wound.”

Hearing the noise, Onyx and Pearl rushed over. “What the void did you two do?” asked Onyx. “How did an Interloper get in here!?”

“It was in here already, dormant!” said Tanzanite. “It was waiting to reactivate itself!”

Cairngorm summoned her sickle. “Come on, we have to stop it before it can do anything!” she said, running after it. The others followed.

They soon found that the Raptor had made its way to the computer terminal Tanzanite had been using earlier. It placed its hands over the controls, red sparks shooting out of its fingers. These spread throughout the device, a series of strange markings appearing on the screen.

“What’s it doing?” Pearl asked.

“I don’t know, but it won’t finish!” said Cairngorm. She hurled her sickle--it embedded into the screen, inches from the Raptor’s head. The Interloper looked up at it, then turned to face the Gems.

Seeming to realize it was outnumbered, the Raptor decided not to fight. Instead, it knelt down to the floor, placing its hands on the ground and sending a surge of the red sparks forwards. Everyone braced, but the sparks weren’t heading for them. The surge split into two, flowing towards and through the numerous other contained Interlopers. Just like the first one, the damaged machines’ eyes returned to life. They began breaking out of the wires that held them, focusing on the Gems.

Onyx summoned her hammer. “Great! Everyone stay together, this could get bad!”

As the initial Raptor took to the air once more, the newly-risen army of mangled Interlopers moved towards the four Gems. Some limped, some crawled, others still dragged themselves. Those that could, of which there was an unfortunate amount, opened fire. Onyx blocked most of the blasts, while the other three got to cover.

“That flying one’s not giving up!” saud Cairngorm. “I think it’s trying to access our servers!”

Pearl had taken out her blaster. “Can it? If Tanzanite couldn’t find anything, then--”

“It will most likely upload a virus of some kind,” Tanzanite said. “I did not want to cause unneeded damage, though I suspect it will have no such scruples.”

“Luckily for us, I’m not about to let that happen!” Cairngorm spun her sickle, before she and the weapon vanished. Pearl could faintly hear the sound of retreating footsteps.

Onyx carved through the Interlopers in droves. But the more she crushed, the more seemed to appear. “How many of these frackin’ things  _ are _ there!?” she yelled. “This seems like an excessive amount for just some research!”

“Stay here!” Tanzanite ordered. Pearl shot at a few approaching robots as Tanzanite grabbed a fallen one. As she had done before, she inserted her fingers into its head. The dead Interloper raised its arm, firing on its fellows as Tanzanite directed.

As Pearl focused on the robots approaching from the front, she was unaware of those approaching from behind. A metallic arm suddenly wrapped around her, pulling her down before she had a chance to scream. She tried to fight it off, but more and more Interlopers surrounded her, piling onto her.

Her blaster arm was pinned down, so she couldn’t shoot them. Although her other arm was free, she wasn’t strong enough to push them off. Unable to think of anything else, she reached down to her stomach, where her gemstone lay. With a glow, the pink bubble was removed. And Emerald’s gemstone was free.

This alone was enough to remove Pearl’s attackers. The massive body formed out of light, taking the form of a gigantic monster. Once color returned to the light, Emerald raised her head. Her innumerable eyes saw Onyx. And Tanzanite. And Pearl. And all three were being attacked by Interlopers.

The beast that once was Emerald roared, lunging at the machines. She tore them to pieces with her claws and teeth, their blasts doing nothing to her.

Tanzanite looked up in surprise as Onyx staggered back. “Emerald!” the latter exclaimed. “Pearl, did you…?”

Pearl stood up, picking up her blaster. “Yes. And she’s going to help us.”

With Emerald, Onyx with her hammer, Pearl with her blaster, and Tanzanite with her scavenged puppet, the pair began to beat back the oncoming hordes. Meanwhile, Cairngorm fought off several Interlopers herself as she gave chase to the runaway Raptor. She sliced her way, unseen, though any that got in her way as she followed.

When she finally caught up to it, the Raptor had gotten to another terminal. Same as before, red sparks and strange symbols covered the device. And same as before, Cairngorm hurled her sickle.

This time, the Raptor was wise to her tricks. It turned and caught the weapon in midair before it could hit it. Although it couldn’t see Cairngorm, it knew she was there, opening fire on the seemingly empty space.

Nimble as she was, the Raptor had thoroughly saturated the area with plasma--she couldn’t dodge them all. Forced to her knees by the attack, Cairngorm became visible again. The Raptor prepared to finish the job.

“Not yet!” Cairngorm flung a second sickle at the Interloper. It simply batted it aside, preparing to fire. Cairngorm had only used the weapon as a distraction, now charging at her opponent barehanded. An unwise move, as the Raptor just caught her by the throat, holding her aloft. Its jets flared, carrying the two upwards.

Grabbing futilely at the Raptor’s hand around her neck, Cairngorm seemed to be out of options-- _ seemed _ . She was not as unarmed as she had led the Interloper to believe: her hand seemingly clasped around nothing, she swiped her arm in front of it. A large cut appeared through its middle, as both fell to the ground.

The Raptor landed on its back; Cairngorm landed on her feet. The sickle she held on became visible again in her hand. She ran at the Interloper, driving her weapon downwards and finishing the job.

With her foe vanquished, whatever it had done to the computer stopped. The same couldn’t be said about its reanimated armies, though Emerald and the others were making short work of them.

“I do not see any reinforcements!” said Tanzanite. “This appears to be the last of them!”

Onyx climbed onto a shelf, jumping down hammer-first. “Ha! They should start making these things out of tougher stuff!” She bashed another group of Interlopers aside with a swing of her weapon.

“Just a little while longer!” said Pearl. “We’re almost there!”

Emerald skewered a Predator with the spines on her tail, hurling it at an approaching group. She shook off a Scavenger clinging to her leg, easily crushing it beneath her claw. More still surrounded her, climbing onto her en masse.

Throwing her head back, Emerald let out a powerful skyward roar. Her body surged with electricity, destroying the robots clinging to her. The volts arced all around her, surging towards and through every Interloper in the area. The three Gems braced, but the voltage avoided them, attracted to the metal of the Interlopers. In one fell swoop, none remained.

“That works, too, I guess,” said Pearl. She laughed, running over to Emerald. “Good job, My Emerald! You got ‘em all!”

Emerald, despite her beastial exterior, leaned down to nuzzle the pink Gem.

As the three took a moment to catch their breath, Cairngorm rounded the corner. “Did...did you take care of ‘em?”

Tanzanite scanned the broken masses of metal and wires that surrounded them. “I believe so,” she said. “Did you stop yours?”

“Yup! Killed it before it could learn much. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to learn much either…”

“Not at all,” said Tanzanite. “We now know that Project: Giganova is located on Mieren-VII, or at least heavily involves the planet.”

“Hey, that’s pretty big!” said Onyx. “Now, whaddya say we get out of this place?”

“Fine by me,” Pearl said. “Come on, My Emerald!” She ushered the monstrous form of her former master towards the elevator.

“You know, you should probably put her back in a bubble,” said Cairngorm. “It’d be kinda hard to hide her otherwise, even with my powers!”

“Don’t worry, I will,” Pearl said. “Just a little bit longer.”

“You know, Mieren-VII is not a large planet,” said Tanzanite. It should not take us long to locate Gem activity on the surface. If it  _ is _ on the surface, of course.”

“Yeah, this should be no problem!” said Cairngorm. “For once, things are finally looking up!”

The elevator doors opened. They had not yet reached them.

“Aw, shard…”

A large battalion of Blue Quartzes flowed out through the doors, aiming their weapons at the group. Everyone but Emerald froze, who growled, but Pearl was able to calm her. Two figures different than the rest stepped forward: Science Minister Heliodor, and Grand Spymaster Maxixe. Neither of them looked happy.

“Um...hello there, My Maxixe!” said Cairngorm. “Now, I know this looks bad, but I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this! It’s kind of a funny story, really!”

Maxixe scowled at her. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite spy,” she grumbled.

“We’re in big trouble, aren’t we?” asked Onyx.

“Very,” said Heliodor.


	14. Bad to Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maxixe and Heliodor confront Cairngorm and the others, and Zoisite gathers some data on Tenrit.

Chapter Fourteen: Bad to Worse

\- - -

Grand Spymaster Maxixe arriving and catching all of them in the act of breaking into Sublevel X was not something Cairngorm had anticipated. Then again, neither was being attacked by Interlopers, but that was neither here nor there. She tried to use her status to her advantage: “So, seeing as I am your favorite spy, would you be at all interested to know why I snuck three--technically four Gems in here without your knowledge?”

“I would be  _ very _ interested to know,” said Maxixe, with all the anger of a mother confronting her disobedient child.

Emerald’s hair bristled as she glared at the armed guards aiming their weapons at the group. The Blue Quartzes seemed to pick up on this, most of them aiming at her. “Pearl, could you…?” said Heliodor, her tone saying what she did not.

“Oh, right, of course.” Pearl placed a calming hand on Emerald’s side, slowly making her way to the corrupted Gem’s gemstone. “It’s okay, My Emerald. They aren’t going to hurt us.” Just as she had done before, she placed her hands on Emerald’s gem, a pink glow surrounding it. Soon, Emerald’s physical form had retreated, her gem now placed within a pink bubble, which Pearl placed inside her own gemstone.

Regarding this sight with indifference, Maxixe refocused her attention on Cairngorm. “Please, continue.” The Quartzes lowered their weapons, but remained vigilant.

Cairngorm slowly nodded. “Er, right, well...it all started a few months ago. I was down here one day, and I...may have overheard the Science Minister talking about something I probably shouldn’t have…”

Heliodor turned pale. “What? What did you hear!?” She sounded like she already knew.”

“N-nothin’ much,” said Cairngorm, trying to calm her down. “Just the name of something. Something called Project: Giganova.”

Heliodor looked like she was about to pass out. Maxixe looked similarly grave. They shared a look, before the former continued. “And...you came down here to learn more about this project?”

“That was the plan,” Cairngorm said. “We just wanted to do something to help, y’know. Wanted to do something to help Goshenite. If it counts for anything, we didn’t find much. Just a location.”

This wasn’t enough to dissuade Maxixe. She looked behind the gang at the pile of destroyed Interlopers. “And was it really necessary for you to destroy all the research subjects?” she asked.

Onyx nudged Tanzanite. “That, I can explain,” said the latter. “In my attempt to search for more information on Project: Giganova, I attempted to interface with subject B-18. Unfortunately, this resulted in waking it from hibernation, after which it reactivated all of the other subjects.”

“I knew keeping that thing here was asking for trouble,” Heliodor muttered.

“Fortunately, we were able to halt their efforts to learn more about Mieren-VII,” Tanzanite continued. “Cairngorm destroyed the Raptor unit in time.”

Onyx thought for sure that Maxixe and Heliodor couldn’t look any more worried than they had. She thought wrong, as they both turned so pale, she almost thought White Diamond had taken them over. “In time for what?” said Maxixe, her voice almost a monotone.

“It was trying to access the servers,” said Cairngorm. “I think it got a little bit of the info, but I killed it before--”

Heliodor quickly ran up to Cairngorm, startling her and the others. “What did it learn!?  _ What did it learn _ !?” she asked, grabbing her by the shoulders.

“I don’t know!” said Cairngorm, trying to shake herself loose. “Some coordinates or something, I didn’t look too closely! I think it was for a star, or…” Heliodor let go of her, running over to the computer terminal beside which lay the destroyed Raptor. “What’s the big deal?”

“There’s a  _ reason _ that Project: Giganova is being kept a secret,” said Maxixe. “It could change the course of the war as we know it. If the Interlopers find it and disable it, what could very well be our best opportunity for ending it would be gone.”

“But that shouldn’t matter, we destroyed it!” said Onyx. “Even if it did find something out, we busted it up before it could tell its buddies.”

“Don’t you get it?” shouted Heliodor, hurrying back to them from the other side of the room. “It didn’t  _ need _ to tell its friends, because they already know! The Interlopers are connected by one big network--a hive mind--linking every single one of them to the Oculus and back. That Raptor back there was able to find out that Project: Giganova is located somewhere in the Mieren system. For all we know, their armies are mobilizing as we speak to tear the whole solar system apart!”

“A...hive mind…” Tanzanite seemed genuinely shocked, something Pearl and Onyx didn’t often see from her. “I had no idea…”

“Yes, that was one of the breakthroughs we made down here,” said Heliodor, heading for the elevator. “Maxixe, take care of these four, I have to go fix this mess!”

“And how,” asked the blue Gem, “do you intend to do that.”

Heliodor stepped into the elevator. “I...have no idea! But my workers need to know that Project: Giganova is in potential jeopardy. I’ll check in with them privately, and get back to you later. Hopefully, the Interlopers haven’t mobilized yet--stars help us if they have.” The door closed; the elevator ascended to the floors above, leaving the four Gems alone with Maxixe and her guards.

“So…” said Cairngorm. She tried to sound casual, not that she succeeded in doing so. “What happens now?”

It took a while for Maxixe to answer. She was deep in thought, contemplating these events. “If you were  _ any _ other Gem, Cairngorm, I would be seriously considering having you shattered,” she said, not meeting her eyes. Cairngorm gulped. “Coming down here without my express permission, even disregarding that you brought unauthorized Gems with you, is borderline treasonous. But as it stands…” She was quiet for a long time again. “Come with me.” Maxixe gestured for the group to follow her.

Escorted by the armed Quartzes, the four Gems plus Maxixe filed into the elevator. “Miss Maxixe?” asked Pearl. “Where are you taking us?”

“Somewhere more secure,” she answered.

“More secure than this place?” asked Onyx.

“Seeing as Sublevel X was recently infiltrated, not only by a group of rogue Gems but also by the Interlopers, I’m beginning to reconsider how secure it really is…” Maxixe said.

The elevator doors closed. Sublevel X was empty once more.

\- - -

_ Gozyos-IV, Horizon Outpost. _

“This...feels a bit weird,” said Tenrit. “And not like the ‘I can’t find my keys even though I know I left them on the table’ kind of weird, the ‘something is rooting around in my brain’ type or weird.”

“That’s probably because that’s exactly what’s going on,” said Nines.

Indeed it was. Eager to run some tests on the former organic, Zoisite had hooked him up to several wires, running several diagnostic checks and the like through his mechanical mind. While this was going on, she was also examining his robotic body, comparing it to data obtained from previous encounters with the Interlopers. Nines stood nearby, making sure nothing Zoisite did hurt her friend.

“From what I have gathered so far,” said Zoisite, “it seems to me that your construction is near-identical to that of a regular Interloper shock trooper. Not counting any differences in shape, it is ninety-eight-point-seven percent identical, in fact. How were you able to achieve this form?”

“It’s kind of a long story,” Tenrit said. “I’ll give you the short version: a couple thousand years ago, I got abducted by the Interlopers ‘cause I know so much about Gems. I tried to blow up one of their bases, but they got me out before it blew. Then, they hooked me up to this big ol’ think tank, where they kept me alive for all that time while they rooted around in my head for the stuff I knew.” He trailed off, staring at nothing.

“You okay, Tens?” asked Nines.

“Yeah, I’m alright,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “So, after a few millennia of enduring... _ that _ ...Emerald shows up. With her help, and by using some bio-venom to...clear some room, so to speak, I was able to download my mind into this body. It even sorta looks like my old one!”

“Yes, I did notice it shares the rough silhouette of a Valurian,” said Zoisite. “How were you able to craft it to such specifications?”

“To be honest, I don’t really know,” said Tenrit. “I was thinking about my old body, and this is the one the machine built for me. Must’ve been reading my mind or something.”

“It was most likely mental, yes,” said Zoisite. She pressed a few buttons on the screen in front of her, and the cords connected to Tenrit’s head retracted. “I think I have obtained all the information I can for now. You are free to--”

At that moment, all three of them noticed a slight vibration in the floor. It was subtle, but definitely there. “Anyone else feel that?” asked Nines.

“Yeah, I did,” said Tenrit. “What’s that about?”

Another vibration. “Troubling,” said Zoisite, pulling up another screen. “Let me see if anywhere else in the base is--”

Whatever she saw made Zoisite stand bolt upright, almost knocking Tenrit out of his seat. Quickly dismissing the screen, she ran out the door. Nines gave chase, with Tenrit following close behind.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Nines called after Zoisite. “Don’t just leave us in the dark back here!” The vibrations were becoming much more violent now the further aboveground they got.

“It is the Interlopers!” Zoisite called over her shoulders. “We are under attack!”

Tenrit stuttered in shock. “Wh--the Interlopers!? How did they find us again!?”

“Easy, maybe it’s just a coincidence,” Nines tried to reassure him. “This planet’s right on the frontlines, they could just be attacking this outpost by chance.”

“Even so, that’s no reason to be calm!” cried Tenrit. “Zoisite, how bad is it?” But by that point, Zoisite had travelled too far ahead to hear them. The two travelled in her general direction, arriving at the lookout room. They saw her conversing with Goshenite, when they ran into Topaz.

“You two sure got here at the right time!” said the red Gem. They weren’t sure if she was being sarcastic or not. “They’re really comin’ down on us this time!”

“We heard. How bad is it?” asked Nines.

“See for yourself!” Topaz pointed them towards a window, where they made their way over to.

Given a view of the planet’s surface, the two saw that the situation was just as bad as Zoisite had made it out to be. Numerous Carnivores trudged across the landscape towards Horizon Outpost, accompanied by at least three Apexes, though there were probably more. A ship larger than any Nines had known the Interlopers to possess hovered above the ground, several more Apexes attached to it like the smaller Interloper dropships. Further back, a titanic Broodmother watched, more and more units pouring from its body. The Apexes pounded away at the outpost with their cannons, though the shield held, the impacts creating the vibrations from earlier.

Goshenite and Zoisite stared out this window as well. “This should not be possible,” said the latter. “This outpost is cloaked--there is no possible way for the Interlopers to determine our location!”

“And yet, they did,” said Goshenite. “Like I said before, they have some way of finding us.” She turned to Zoisite. “How bad is this?”

“Quite, but not extremely,” Zoisite answered. “Our defenses should hold long enough to repel this attack. The keyword here is ‘should.’ I cannot accurately predict just how long this assault will go on for…”

Goshenite looked at the chaos outside, before returning her attention inside. “How much longer should repairs on the  _ Xenocide _ last?”

“Assuming they are not interrupted by the attack? Thirty minutes, roughly,” answered Zoisite.

“Right,” said Goshenite. “What should we do until then?”

“I recommend you stop any Interlopers that slip through our shields from entering the base,” Zoisite said, heading for the exit. I will shift the outpost into defense mode.” She left the room, heading back underground.

“‘Defense mode,’ huh?” said Tenrit. “Let’s hope it lives up to its name.”

“Yes, let’s,” said Goshenite. “Come on, we’re going to the ground level. Topaz, Citrine, Tenrit, on me!” The four of them hurried to their destination.

“Hey, Goshenite?” asked Nines. “How do you think they keep finding us? A tracking device on the  _ Xenocide _ , or something?”

“I wish I knew,” said Goshenite. “As of right now, we can only guess.”


	15. Rising to the Occasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Horizon Outpost falls under attack by Interloper forces.

Chapter Fifteen: Rising to the Occasion

\- - -

The three Gems and one Valurian hurried towards the ground level of Horizon Outpost. The Interlopers’ attacks continued to rock the base, though the shields prevented any real damage. Other Gems raced around them as well, rushing to get to either safety or their battle stations.

“To the front lines, hurry!” shouted Goshenite. Several of her Milky Quartz warriors she passed by turned to follow her. By the time they reached one of the base’s entrances, the group had nearly tripled in size. Goshenite silently hoped it would be enough.

“‘S this where the action’s gonna be?” asked Topaz.

“That’s what Zoisite said,” answered Goshenite. “If any Interlopers were going to break through our defenses, this is where they would--”

She was stopped as a spark appeared in the door: the Interlopers were trying to breach.

“Well, speak of the Anti-Gem,” she muttered. “Everyone, weapons ready!”

The Quartzes that could do so summoned their weapons, while those that could not readied their blasters. Nines did both, holding her blaster in one hand and her khopesh in the other. Topaz pulled out her flail, preparing to swing it at whatever came through that door. Tenrit, lacking a weapon, retreated to behind some cover. Goshenite summoned her staff, gripping it tightly as she glared towards the breach.

Soon, the Interlopers were through the door. As expected, the large door was blasted apart with explosives, filling the room with vision-obscuring smoke. A barrage of laser blasts flooded out of the breach, with Goshenite’s forces returning in kind. Several of the Gems were destabilized by the incoming fire.

“Keep attacking, don’t stop!” ordered Goshenite. “We can’t let them gain any ground!”

The Interloper forces were starting to make their way inside. Numerous Scavengers were in front to take the shots for Predators and Raptors to enter. The Milky Quartzes wielding melee weapons engaged these intruders to the best of their ability. Topaz threw her flail, destroying a few of them, but there were too many friendlies nearby for her to truly let loose.

As she speared a Predator through the optic, Goshenite caught a glance at the situation outside through the broken door. A Carnivore had forced itself through the shield, creating a small opening for the smaller troops to enter through. Thankfully for them, the effort of holding the shield back prevented the Carnivore from firing on them; they would have been in real trouble if it could. In fact, it was beginning to burn up from the shield’s energy, its metal armor turning red and slowly melting off.

“Just a little longer!” shouted Goshenite, throwing her staff to spear a Raptor to the wall. “They can’t keep coming forever, just hold out a bit more!”

“Easy for you to say!” said Nines. She hacked through any Scavenger that came her way, firing on some in the distance. She had fallen back slightly, protecting the area where Tenrit was hiding. “How much longer?”

Outside, the Carnivore had begun to slump down in its place, falling to pieces before their eyes. Small explosions rocked its form and molten metal dripped to the ground: it was not long for this world. “Any second now!” Goshenite shouted.

Unfortunately for them, it seemed that the Interlopers had anticipated this very problem. Just as the Carnivore’s body gave out from the strain, another took its place. The process started anew, more and more Interlopers rushing through the renewed entryway. Worse still, the half-melted Carnivore was still alive, slowly crawling towards the base.

“Scratch that--get ready for another wave!” said Goshenite. With the losses the Gems were suffering, it was unlikely they would be able to last through another one. The Carnivore lines up its cannons with the open door.

Tenrit looked around nervously as he further retreated into his hiding spot. “What are we supposed to do here, Goshenite!? They’re eating us alive!”

“Hate to agree with that, but we’re outmatched here, My Goshenite!” said Topaz. Her flail tore through any Interloper that came near her, but other Gems weren’t so lucky. Their numbers were beginning to dwindle, while the Interlopers’ were steadily increasing.

Goshenite looked around at the carnage surrounding her. Reluctantly, she made a decision. “Everyone, fall back!” They didn’t have a choice. It was either retreat and regroup, or be destroyed here and now. As she held off the Interlopers for her troops to fall back, she tried not to think about what this meant for the rest of the base.

But just then, just when defeat seemed inevitable, something happened to shift the tide in the Gems’ favor. Although the door had been blown apart, a secondary blast shield suddenly slammed shut in its place; a Predator that had been passing through was bisected. And just like that, the ever-increasing flow of Interlopers slowed to zero.

“...Okay, change of plans!” said Goshenite. “Finish them off!”

Now that they didn’t have to worry about reinforcements, the battle became much more one-sided. Rather, it remained one-sided, but now it favored the other side. The Quartzes surrounded the remaining Interlopers, overwhelming them. Goshenite gave chase after a pair of Raptors that tried to escape, throwing her spear after them. It winged one, but before they could get far, Topaz’s flail bashed the pair to pieces.

“That was a lucky break, eh?” said Topaz, referring to the door. “What’s up with that?”

The entire base began to shake. Unlike before, this was a steady vibration, unlike the blasts from the Apexes. “I think I have a pretty good idea…” said Goshenite.

The rumbling increased, and everyone had to brace to keep their balance. Looking out the window, they would have noticed that the base itself was rising up out of the ground. The earth around them cracked open as Horizon Outpost revealed its true size: a military installation nearly five times its original size, cannons at the ready. Zoisite’s voice sounded through the base’s intercom: “Attention all personnel, defense mode is now active.”

Cautiously, Tenrit stood up from his hiding spot. “So, is that it?” he asked. “Did we win?”

Goshenite looked out at the Apexes and the Broodmother that still surrounded the outpost. “Not by a long shot,” she said. “Everyone regroup! We’ve got more incoming!”

The turrets on the outside of the base handily cleaned up any ground forces that still remained; not that they would have gotten far, as the base’s entryways were too high for all but Raptors to reach. These turrets wouldn’t have done much against an Apex, but the shield took care of that. “What exactly are we supposed to do?” asked Nines. “This place seems pretty secure if you ask me.”

“It always seems that way at first,” Goshenite said. “But you never know what could happen next.”

Zoisite’s voice sounded out through the base once more. “All available combat personnel, please report to the loading deck. Goshenite, I would ask if you come as well.”

After scanning the room to make sure that all the Interlopers were dealt with, Goshenite turned to Topaz. “Looks like I’m needed elsewhere,” she said. “Topaz, I need you and the troops to hold down the fort. Tenrit, come with me.”

“You got it, My Goshenite!” said Topaz.

As Goshenite ran off to meet her summons, Tenrit hurried after her. Nines followed as well. “Hang on, you weren’t thinking about leaving without me, were you?”

“What are you doing?” asked Goshenite. “I didn’t ask you to come along!”

“You asked Tenrit to come along, and that’s practically the same thing!” Nines replied. “I can’t just leave him alone, can I? That’s a disaster waiting to happen!”

“I hate to agree with that, but she has a point,” said Tenrit.

Goshenite reluctantly agreed. “Fine! You’re both lucky I trust Topaz to hold the line!”

As the three of them rushed towards the specified meeting place, the pounding against the side of the base grew more violent. It sounded like one of the Apexes had given up trying to shoot the shield down, and was now pounding against it with its fists. If a Carnivore could force its way through a shield, even if only for a moment, Goshenite hated to think what an Apex could do.

After a brief climb up a staircase, they arrived at the loading deck. It soon became obvious why so many had been called here: the bulk of the massive room was filled with a truly enormous cannon, almost the size of a Gem cruiser. A handful of Peridots were loading canisters of a greenish substance into slots in the side while several Quartzes looked on.

“Goshenite, I am glad you are here.” Zoisite climbed down from the top of the cannon. “We will need all the assistance we can get now.”

“I’ll say,” Goshenite said. “What’s our plan? And why did you need me here?”

“I needed you here because you are the strongest Gem in this facility.” She gestured towards the cannon. “This device is a binary fusion generator. It fires superheated plasma capable of destroying superheavy Interloper units in a single shot. It may be our only hope to fend off this attack.”

“That makes sense,” said Goshenite. “What do you need me to do?”

“In spite of its power, this cannon is in a highly vulnerable position, in no small part due to its strategic importance. In order to fire it, we will need to momentarily drop the base’s shields. In that time, I suspect many Interloper units will be able to get through. Most will no doubt flock to this location. That is where you come in: we must defend this cannon at all costs.”

“Makes sense,” said Nines.

“What’s our first target?” asked Goshenite.

“You have no doubt heard that awful banging,” Zoisite said. “An Apex is attempting to break through our shields. If left unattended, its efforts will be successful.”

“My Zoisite,” one of the Peridots said, approaching her, “binary fusion generator is fully loaded and ready to fire.”

“Excellent,” said Zoisite. “Shift the cannon into position.”

The Peridots input a series of commands into nearby terminals. Not only the cannon, but the walls around the room began to rotate, turning towards the source of the banging.

“Open bay doors on my mark,” Zoisite commanded, before turning to face Goshenite. “This situation, as they say, is about to escalate. Are you prepared?”

She nodded. “I am.” She turned towards her other companions. “Are you.”

“I will be,” said Tenrit. “Could you, ah…?”

“Oh, sure, here.” Nines handed him her blaster.”

“Kinda thought you’d prefer this one,” he said.

“Nah, take it,” she said. She summoned another khopesh, now holding one in each hand.

Goshenite nodded to Zoisite. “Engage!” said the latter.

Slowly, the bay doors slid open. An Apex was gradually revealed on the other side, pounding on the shield with its fists. It stopped as the cannon came into view, regarding it with curiosity. It seemed unaware of what the weapon was capable of.

Zoisite typed several commands into a datascreen in her hands. “Preparing to lower shields,” she said. “Fire on my mark.”

The cannon began spinning up. Sparks of green energy flew from its barrel, filling the room with a glow of the same color. As this grew in intensity, the Apex seemed to realize what it meant, trying to pull away at the last moment.

“Fire!”

Before the Apex could get out of the way, the cannon shot forth a massive green blast. The projectile tore straight through the Interloper’s chest, sending energy coursing through the now-vacant shell as it fell to the ground, shaking the earth on impact. The invaders now knew full well what this weapon was capable of, and were no doubt flocking to its position.

As fast as she could, Zoisite brought the shields back online. “Quickly, close the bay doors!” she shouted.

“Closing bay doors!” The Peridots rapidly hit the buttons at their terminals, and the doors slowly, agonizingly so, slid closed. But not before a good many Interlopers were able to make it through. Several Raptors, many of them carrying other Interlopers, and even a dropship made it into the room.

Zoisite pulled herself back with her hair. “Protect the cannon! They must not destroy it!” she yelled.

“You heard the lady!” shouted Goshenite. “Get in there!”

She, her companions, and the multitude of Quartzes charged at the intruders, who themselves charged at the cannon. As the two sides met, the Gems placed themselves between the Interlopers and the cannon. A few with blasters, like Tenrit, prevented the aerial units from tearing off pieces of the weapon. “Yeah, get some!” Tenrit yelled.

“You know what?” said Nines, a wake of destroyed Interlopers behind her. “I think I can really get into this dual-wielding thing!”

Goshenite let out a flash of light, blinding the Interlopers near her. “I’m glad for you!” she called back. She threw her staff at the blinded dropship, hitting it right in its engine, causing it to spin out of control...right towards the cannon. “...Oops.”

Before the ship could crash into the cannon, Zoisite jumped in front of it: using two of her hair tendrils to push it back, and two to push against the cannon. She, with considerable effort, threw it towards a cluster of Interlopers, smashing them against the wall. These were the last of them leaving the room empty.

“Huh.” Tenrit looked around the room. “Crisis averted.”

At that moment, sparks began flying from the door: the Interlopers were trying to breach, just as they had done below. “Spoke too soon!” said Nines.

Everyone took cover as the doors exploded, hiding from the shrapnel. More Interlopers poured in through the smoke-shrouded entrance. Goshenite in particular caught sight of a glowing red light, hovering right in the center.

“No…” she said. “You’re kidding me!”

Gradually, the smoke cleared. “Unfortunately,” said Teptromina, his gaze focused on every single one of the Gems, “I am doing no such thing.”


	16. His Prey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Primax Teptromina himself arrives to the siege of Horizon Outpost.

Chapter Sixteen: His Prey

\- - -

It shouldn’t have been possible. Goshenite wouldn’t believe it, but the evidence was literally staring her right in the face. Somehow, Teptromina had been able to find them again. This whole attack couldn’t have been a coincidence; he had likely been here since the beginning, waiting for the right moment to make his move.

None of the Gems were sure what to make of this strange-looking Interloper that had just appeared. Most of them had no idea who he even was. The Quartzes held their weapons, waiting for the order to attack, while several of the Peridots prepared to run to safety. Those who knew Teptromina were just as surprised as Goshenite that he was here.

The momentary lapse in the fighting was brought to a halt by Zoisite. “All units, open fire!” The Quartzes armed with projectiles, as well as Tenrit, let loose on the Primax. But despite the barrage of laser beams directed at him, he was unaffected.

“A poor decision,” he said. “Allow me to show you the error of your ways.” Nine beams, from his eye, hands, and all six fins that made up his wings, streaked through the room. The beams cut through every Gem in their path, sweeping all across the room. Goshenite, as well as any other Gem who wasn’t immediately destabilized, took cover behind the cannon.

Zoisite climbed over the top of the cannon, setting herself down next to Goshenite and Nines. “This is not good,” she said.

“Yeah, that about sums it up!” Nines shot back.

“We need to prevent Primax Teptromina from destroying the binary fusion generator,” Zoisite continued. “Without it, we will be unable to fend off the invasion.”

Interloper troops were starting to round the cannon to confront the Gems. Goshenite speared a Predator through the optic as it peered around the corner. “And how do we go about doing that?”

Teptromina’s assault had slowed by this point. Zoisite lifted herself back up atop the cannon. “I am reminded of the popular phrase, ‘the best offense is a good defense.’ I suggest we employ this tactic.” She threw herself over the top to engage their attackers.

Tenrit held up his borrowed blaster. “It’s worked for us so far!”

Goshenite, Nines, and Tenrit joined the rest of the Quartz soldiers in fighting off the Interlopers that were pouring in through the hole in the blast shutters. The shields around the base were slowing their approach somewhat, but there was still a steady flow.

Nines carved through the Scavengers with her twin blades. “How are we going to stop them from coming?” she asked.

A blast of red energy streaked past her, narrowly missing her. Teptromina held his arm outstretched, and prepared to fire again. “You won’t,” he said. “Once again, you find yourself in a position of no escape.”

Nines turned to face him. “If we’re in that position  _ again _ , that means we escaped from it the first time!” she pointed out. “All in all, not the greatest metaphor!”

Crimson energy crackled across Teptromina’s metal form. “Let’s see if you can escape from  _ this _ !”

“Gladly!” Nines took off running towards him. One beam; she dove to the left. Another; she dove right. Teptromina swung his arm as she got close; Nines dropped to her knees to avoid it, slicing a gash into his side as she slid past him.

Undeterred, the Primax whipped around to counter. Three of his wings speared into the wall, narrowly avoided by Nines. She swung her khopesh again, aiming for his eye. He dodged, the blade cutting into his shoulder instead.

From behind, a javelin pierced through the Interloper’s middle. Several Citrines descended on him at once. He turned his wings on them, the beams cutting through several of their numbers. Those that remained survived mainly because Nines distracted Teptromina with a khopesh through the chest.

Teptromina growled in anger, grabbing Nines by the wrist. He spun around, hurling her into the oncoming Quartzes. “Merely a trifle,” he growled, yanking the javelin from his stomach. “Now we finish this.” He extended both arms towards the Quartzes.

A barrage of energy collided with him. As before, it had no effect on his armor; it did, however, hit his eye. The unexpected loss of vision, though it only lasted a moment, was enough to cause him to miss his targets. Teptromina turned his attention towards the source of the attack: an unassuming Tenrit, who tried to back away once he had been noticed.

He didn’t get far. Teptromina flew towards Tenrit the moment he saw him. He opened fire with his blaster, trying to slow him down, but to no effect. Teptromina slapped the blaster out of his hands, and lifted Tenrit up by the neck.

“Troublesome Valurian,” he said. “You may wear our armor, but you are no Koh’i’Noor.” Rather than kill Tenrit then and there, Teptromina threw him back, where he collided against the wall. “Now, where is my true foe?”

“Right here.” Goshenite pulled her staff from the body of a fallen Raptor. Twirling her weapon around, she then charged at him. Teptromina charged up his beams, while Goshenite charged up an attack of her own.

Just as Teptromina fired, Goshenite released a flash of light from her body, blinding him. The lasers scraped by her body as she leapt into the air. She drove her staff downwards as she fell, sending it through his chest. However, he only gripped the end in defiance. “There is no escape for you, Supreme General!”

Goshenite fought for control of her weapon. “I wasn’t planning on escaping!”

As they fought, Tenrit got to his feet. His gaze fell on the hole the Interlopers had made in the wall. In addition to the multitude still entering through it, he could see a handful of Apexes approaching the base. The one they had destroyed with the cannon had been swiftly replaced, another titanic machine being deployed by the equally-enormous dropship. But what he really noticed was the Broodmother further back, from which dozens if not hundreds of Interlopers continued to spill like water.

After making sure that Teptromina was being kept busy by Goshenite, Tenrit hurried to find Zoisite. Although not made for combat, she was grabbing, tossing, and smashing Interlopers together with her hair tendrils as best she could. “Hey, Zoisite!” he called. “How long ‘till we can charge that cannon up again?”

“A mere thirty seconds,” she answered, hurling a Predator across the room. “But our main concern should be in this room, currently!”

“I know, but that Broodmother out there’s pumping out reinforcements!” he replied. “If we take it out, that should put a dent in their advance!”

Zoisite paused. “That may just work,” she said. “But we will have to be quick. Primax Teptromina will do everything in his power to destroy the binary fusion generator.”

“Isn’t he already?” Tenrit said. “Just tell me what to do!”

“Hold on!” Zoisite lifted Tenrit up off the ground, carrying him over some incoming Interlopers and over to the cannon’s control panel. “Cover me while I align it.”

“Got it!” Tenrit took aim, firing on any Interlopers that were targeting Zoisite, or came too close.

Teptromina seemed to instantly realize what they were planning the moment Zoisite reached the console. He quickly broke off from his fight with Goshenite, racing over to stop her. “You can’t run away from me!” yelled the Beryl, throwing her staff at him. It pierced into his back, but this only slowed him down for a moment.

All of the Interlopers present were now attempting to stop the cannon. The Quartzes were able to keep most of them at bay, but a few climbed atop the weapon, trying to damage it in any way they could. And their leader was still gunning for Zoisite. “Keep them away from the generator!” she cried.

Nines and a handful of Citrines mobbed Teptromina, attempting to keep him from moving. His beams fired off seemingly at random, vaporizing any of them caught in the path. Nines repeatedly hacked away at him with her weapons. “He’s still struggling, pull harder!”

“He’s stronger than he looks!” another Citrine said, armed with a chain that was currently wrapped around Teptromina.

The bay doors were open now. Zoisite had one hand on the console, the other on a datascreen. “Preparing to fire!”

“Enough games!” All of Teptromina’s beams fired off at once. They cut through the chains holding him, threw off the Citrines and Goshenite, destabilizing the ones who were hit directly. The beam from his eye raced directly towards Zoisite. She closed her eyes, preparing for the impact.

Moments before it hit, Tenrit dove between it and her, taking the hit. He was thrown back by the impact, Zoisite catching him with her hair. His metallic body was burned and broken, but he was still alive. “Take the shot!” he said weakly.

“Firing!”

Zoisite lowered the shields, and fired the cannon. The green projectile streaked through the air as the one before it had done, before colliding with the Broodmother some distance away. The ground shook from the resulting explosion, and Interlopers around it were thrown into the air by the shockwave. As soon as the shot had been fired, Zoisite lowered the shields again. She pulled Tenrit out of harm’s way, and Nines rushed over to his side.

“Tens!” she cried. “Are you okay!? Please don’t be dead!”

“Don’t worry about me…” he said. Despite how damaged he was, he still sounded spirited. “Say what you will about the Interlopers, their bots sure are sturdy!”

If Teptromina had been angry before, he was beyond furious now. He didn’t even bother saying anything as he flew up into the air. His wings orbited around him, all of his guns pointed at the cannon. His body changed shape, almost seeming to become a cannon itself.

“Now what’s he doing?” asked Nines.

“Nothing good,” said Goshenite. “Go, now!”

Everyone made a run for the stairs as Teptromina charged up. All nine of his beams fired at once, coalescing into a single larger one. This giant beam tore through the cannon like it was nothing, causing a chain reaction with the rounds within. The entire room went up in a gigantic explosion, consuming Gem and Interloper alike. The entire outpost shook from the blast.

Goshenite got to her feet as the smoke cleared, trying to locate anyone she could. “Citrine, report!” she called. “Nines, are you there? Tenrit? Topaz? Anyone, respond!”

“Supreme General!” Zoisite hurried over to the sound of Goshenite’s voice. “How fortunate you are uninjured.”

“You too,” she replied. “What about the others? Did everyone make it out okay?”

“I...cannot say,” said Zoisite. “The Citrine and the Valurian were ahead of me, but I lost track of them. The others, I do not know. But that is not the worst of it: the binary fusion generator has been destroyed.”

Goshenite’s already-dark expression darkened even further. “And our hopes of surviving went with it, I assume?”

Zoisite looked around carefully, as though making sure nobody was eavesdropping. “Not entirely. Here.” She handed Goshenite a compressed holoscreen. She opened it, revealing a map of the facility. “Head to the lowest level. There is a hangar where--”

A beam of red energy streaked through the air. Its target was the holoscreen, which shattered into pieces. Goshenite recoiled in pain; her hand and half her forearm had been seared off, light shining from the wound.

The source of the beam revealed himself through the smoke. Teptromina’s form came into view, his arm still glowing. More Interlopers came into view behind him.

“Your Brilliance, I know how he is tracking you!” Zoisite said frantically. “He can see--”

Teptromina lunged forward, cutting her off before she could reveal his secret. His beams sliced through her physical form, destabilizing her instantly. Goshenite dove out of the way, but some of the beams still nicked her. He leaned down, picking up Zoisite’s gemstone. “Oh, I’m sorry, am I interrupting?”

He tossed the gem over his shoulder, where it was caught by a Predator. A panel on its chest slid open into which it placed the gem. Yellow light shone from within as it absorbed Zoisite’s energy. Its body changed as well, as four metal tendrils, each tipped with a claw, sprouted from its back.

Although he was still in fighting shape, Teptromina had been damaged by the explosion. And this was on top of the damage he had received in the fight prior. It was like Tenrit had said: Interlopers were sturdy.

But Goshenite was sturdy as well. She pulled herself up, shaking off her wounds. Her hand had already begun to grow back. “It’s gonna take more than that to keep me down,” she said.

“Is that so?” Tenrit began to hover, as his soldiers stepped closer. The enhanced Predator stood beside him, lifting itself up with its tentacles. “Just as well. I am prepared to give more.  _ Much _ more.”

Goshenite pulled her staff from her gemstone. “Let’s see it, then.”


	17. Tread Softly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite takes control of a powerful weapon to fight off the Interloper attack.

Chapter Seventeen: Tread Softly

\- - -

Teptromina’s wings sprang forward, their tips glowing before firing an array of beams at Goshenite. She leapt forwards as well, diving into the air to avoid the attack. Before reaching the ground again, she hurled her staff at the Primax, quickly summoning another.

The staff just narrowly missed Teptromina, spearing a Scavenger that stood behind him when he dodged. He flew towards Goshenite, his hands and wings alike crackling with energy. Moments before they met, she dove to the side, swinging her staff as hard as she could. The weapon crashed against the side of his head, sending him careening down the hallway. Goshenite prepared to throw her staff again, but she was suddenly grabbed from behind by metallic claws.

The Predator that had been empowered by Zoisite’s gem wrapped its tendrils around Goshenite’s limbs. She pulled back against them, but was unable to free herself. She was then lifted into the air, the Predator’s grip tightening as Teptromina stepped closer.

“This is all futile, you know,” said Teptromina. He glared up at Goshenite, his body battle-damaged but nevertheless imposing. “If you have to fight this hard just to save a single wayward outpost from a mere fraction of my forces, how can you hope to save Homeworld from my full might?”

“I’ve beaten you before,” she replied. “I can do it again. Even if you do get stronger each time they rebuild you, you’re bound to slip up eventually.”

The outpost shook as an impact struck against the shields. Teptromina looked up towards the source of the noise, and chuckled to himself. “And that’s where you’re wrong. This station has almost fallen. It doesn’t matter how many of my troops you destroy, more will be built. Our bodies may break, but we will never fall. But you, and your kin, only need to shatter once to be silenced for good.”

Goshenite clenched her fists. “Then it’s a good thing I will never shatter!”

Her staff shot out from her gemstone, spearing through the Predator’s tendrils. Its grip loosened just enough for Goshenite to tear herself free, using this opportunity to catch Teptromina while his guard was lowered. She grabbed her staff, swinging it around to her front as she ran towards him. Teptromina only had time to charge and fire a single beam from his eye. Goshenite anticipated this, ducking to the side; she followed up by driving her staff into his eye.

The energy from the currently-firing laser now found somewhere else to go in the form of a tear in the optic. As a result, the gash created by the staff exploded, sending Goshenite, the remaining Interlopers, and what was left of Teptromina, flying. Goshenite felt herself collide with a wall, falling to the ground.

Despite her injuries, Goshenite was undeterred. Using her staff to pull herself up, she remembered what Zoisite had told her.  _ Hangar. Lowest level. _ Whatever was down there had been important enough for Zoisite to point it out specifically. Goshenite slowly limped off in the direction of the stairs. Her limp slowly turned into a walk, and then a run as she regained her fighting spirit.

The outpost continued to shake as the Interlopers pounded against the shields. Goshenite wasn’t sure how long they would last, but given the extent of this attack, it couldn’t be much longer. Worst case scenario, they would have to take the  _ Xenocide _ and try and find another outpost elsewhere on the planet. Repairs wouldn’t have been finished by this point, but that was a risk they would have to take. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.

On her way to the lower levels, Goshenite ran, quite literally, into Topaz. “Oh! My Goshenite!” she said, surprised to see her. “Is everything going alright up there? When I heard that explosion, I was afraid that--what happened to your hand!?”

“No time!” said Goshenite, continuing to run. Topaz followed after her. “What happened to the others?”

“There were breaches at the southern and eastern entryways, so the troops split up to intercept,” Topaz explained. “But whatever you guys did up there really slowed the flow!” Another rumble as the Apexes continued their attack. “...Not like that’s doing us any good right now, o’ course. Where’re Nines and Tens?”

“I don’t know, we got separated by the explosion,” Goshenite said. “Right now, we need to make it down to the lower hangar, there’s something down there that can help us.”

A short elevator ride later, and they had arrived.

“Be on the lookout for anything that could help us,” Goshenite said, as the two of them stepped out and hurried down the hallway. “I imagine it’s going to be something like a communicator, or an emergency beacon, or...uh…”

Goshenite trailed off as the two of them reached the hangar proper. Only a handful of small vessels were scattered on the inside, but, standing tall in the very center of the room, was a Valkyrie. Tall as an Apex and imposing as a Diamond, the whole room seemed to glow from its green hull. Although it was inactive, its two red eyes stared forward as though daring the Interlopers to defile its sanctum.

“...Yeah, I think that might be able to help us,” said Topaz.

“Funny,” said Goshenite. She strolled towards the massive machine. “I need you to head to the command center. Connect to me once I’m outside, and we’ll go from there.”

“What, and miss out on riding in a Valkyrie?” said Topaz. “‘Cause, I mean, that’s a chance not a lot of Gems get, and--”

The elevator behind them exploded. The two of them turned in its direction, expecting to see only the result of a crash or malfunction. Instead, a familiar figure strolled from the wreckage, backlit by the flames.

“You’re kidding me!” yelled Goshenite. “I know you can rebuild yourself, but not this quickly!”

“There is more to my creation than mere metal and wires,” said Teptromina. His voice had become garbled and staticky, most likely as a consequence of half of his head exploding. Despite his grievous injuries, he trudged forwards. “There is a fighting spirit. A sense of pride that, unlike you renegade servants, is not unwarranted.” He lifted his arms, preparing to fire a pair of beams.

“Careful!” Topaz dove in front of Goshenite, the beams colliding against her arms. She was pushed back by the force, but was able to hold out. “Get in the robot, I’ll handle this one!” Goshenite hurried towards the Valkyrie.

“Oh,  _ will _ you?” said Teptromina. “And how do you expect to do that all by your lonesome?”

Topaz responded by drawing her flail from her gemstone. “Like you said: we servants have fighting spirit!”

Teptromina scoffed as he rose into the air. “I said you had  _ pride _ , not spirit.  _ Unwarranted _ pride. And, remind me, what is it that comes before a fall?”

“I don’t know, why don’t you come and show me!” Flail in hand, Topaz ran at Teptromina, as he raced towards her in turn.

Upon reaching the Valkyrie, Goshenite placed a hand on the side of the great machine’s boot. A small door slid open, and she stepped inside. The door closed behind her as another elevator raised her up the Valkyrie’s leg, through its chest, and finally into its head.

_ Hope I remember how to do this _ , Goshenite thought as she hooked herself up to the controls.  _ It’s been a while since my last test run in one of these things… _

A red light scanned across her body, registering her gem. The receptor pillars hummed to life. Optical hookups nominal. The Gem-machine interface was working at maximum. Synchronization at one hundred percent.

“Go time.”

Goshenite raised her hand, and the Valkyrie’s hand went up in turn. She took a step forward, and the machine obeyed. Another step, and another, and she was right next to Topaz and Teptromina.

Teptromina bore several more wounds from Topaz’s flail, who was looking quite battle-damaged herself. Topaz knew what was coming; she quickly ran to the side. Teptromina, caught unawares, was not so lucky.

An enormous fist crashed through the ground right on top of Teptromina, pounding him into scrap. Goshenite forced the hand deeper, on the off chance that he survived. It was unlikely, but given what she had seen, she couldn’t be too sure. When she lifted up the machine’s hand, it was apparent that he hadn’t.

Topaz was shouting something up at her, but she couldn’t make it out. She seemed excited, at least. Goshenite pointed towards the door, further urging Topaz towards the command center; she hoped she got the message.

Right now, though, Goshenite had other things to worry about. The longer she waited, the more damage those Apexes would do. She raised the Valkyrie up to its full height, and walked towards the hangar doors. A brief interface later, and the double doors slowly began to slide open.

The first thing Goshenite saw just beyond the doors, just outside of the shield, was an Apex. It slowly turned to face her, as though confused as who would dare to challenge it.

“Come on, let’s see what you’ve got!” said Goshenite. She ran out the door, the Valkyrie passing cleanly through the shield. She threw the first punch, splintering the metal and shattering the glass of the Apex’s head. She tried to throw another one, but the Apex was quicker, pushing the incoming arm to the side and following up with a punch of its own.

Goshenite stumbled as the Apex’s fist made contact with the Valkyrie’s command bridge, trying to regain both her own balance, as well as that of the robot. Just as the Apex was about to throw another punch, she raised her arm, and caught its fist in her hand before it could hit.

“You want to play that game, then?” Goshenite lifted her other hand, making a gun with her fingers. As the Valkyrie’s hand raised in turn, its fingertips began to glow. “Then let’s play that game!” She pressed down with her thumb.

A massive bolt of energy shot out from the Valkyrie’s fingers, aimed right at the spot where its fist had hit. The Apex’s head exploded, raining debris to the ground below. But Goshenite wasn’t finished just yet. She reared back, throwing one final punch into the damaged area. Smoke and fire filled the air as what was left of the Apex’s head collapsed, as did the Apex itself. The towering bot shook the ground when it fell.

Before Goshenite could get her bearings, something collided with the back of the Valkyrie. Warning lights flashed as the machine shuddered, and Goshenite turned around to face the threat.

Another Apex stood behind her, its weapons extended. And another still stood behind that one, circling around the outpost. Goshenite extended both of her arms as she ran towards them.

The first Apex fired, but Goshenite was prepared. She ducked to the side without slowing down, and returned fire with a volley of blasts. Ten shots from ten fingers rained down on the Apex, stunning it. The second, however, ran out from behind its fellow to confront the incoming Valkyrie.

Both the Apex and the Valkyrie were running as the former threw a punch, making the impact all the more powerful. Goshenite’s vessel fell backwards onto the ground. She tried to stand, but the Apex planted its foot atop the fallen Valkyrie. It aimed its cannons, preparing to fire.

One of the Valkyrie’s hands grabbed the Apex’s leg, while the other raised to point at its face. The Valkyrie fired mere seconds before the Apex could, the bolt of energy sending it staggering back. This, coupled with the shove it gave, caused the Apex to fall onto its back as well. Goshenite raised the Valkyrie up to its feet, ready to deal with her other attacker.

The first Apex was beginning to come to its senses. Goshenite ran forward, leaping towards it and tackling it to the ground. She raised herself up while it was stunned, raining blow upon blow onto its unprotected face. Just when it seemed like she would finish it off, another projectile hit the back of the Valkyrie. The other Apex, still on the ground, had its cannon extended at her.

Goshenite whipped around, firing a solid beam of light across the fallen Apex. The beam traced up the machine’s torso, leaving a dim glow behind, before exploding. The Apex’s chassis was torn open, though Goshenite suspected it wasn’t finished just yet.

The Apex she was currently on top of, her having left it alone for only seconds, shoved her off. She quickly rolled over, both the Valkyrie and the Apex rising to meet the other. Both raised their fists as they prepared to charge at the other…

The steady ping of an incoming transmission sounded out inside the Valkyrie’s command bridge. It was automatically patched through: “Horizon Outpost to Valkyrie, come in, Valkyrie. Who is currently operating this vehicle?”

Goshenite turned on her comms. “Horizon Outpost, this is Supreme General Goshenite. I was directed to this Valkyrie by Zoisite, in order to use it to fend off this attack. I--”

The Gem on the other end interrupted. “No time for that, our shields are at two percent! We’ve got an Apex right in front of the command center, and it’s set to tear us apart any second now!”

More bad news, figures. “Just hang on, I’m inbound,” Goshenite said. She broke off the fight with the Apex pair, running off towards the command center. She fired a few blasts over her shoulder to make sure they wouldn’t do the same.

She rounded the corner to see yet another Apex, pounding away at the shield. The Valkyrie’s arms raised to fire, but with one final pound, the shields flickered, before finally disappearing.

“They’ve broken through!” the Gem in the command center shouted. “Your Brilliance, we have only minutes before the entire outpost is overrun--Hey, you aren’t authorized to be in here!” The sound of a small scuffle could be heard over the radio.

Another voice called out. “Hey, My Goshenite, I made it!” said Topaz. “And guess who I ran into!”

The Valkyrie opened fire on the Apex, getting its attention away from the base. “Who?” asked Goshenite.

“Hey, Goshie!” said Nines. “Glad to see you made it out okay!”

“Likewise.” Goshenite braced as the Apex opened fire. Once the barrage was over, she ran up to deliver a punch straight into its face. It staggered backwards, but didn’t fall until she threw a second punch into its midsection. “Is Tenrit there with you?”

“Yeah, he’s here,” she said. “He’s a bit banged up, but he’ll pull through.”

“I’ve made it through worse!” Tenrit replied cheerfully.

Goshenite aimed both the Valkyrie’s blasters at the downed Apex. “Good to hear.” She unleashed both into its chest. The robot’s core erupted, and its red eyes faded to black. It was then that she noticed the ship.

It had been there before, of course, but she thought it would have left by now. Some sort of carrier, resembling a massive dropship, designed for deploying Apexes. The reason it caught her attention was because it was only just now rising up into the atmosphere. And the reason that was worth noting was because it still held two of its Apexes.

“Horizon Outpost, I have eyes on the Apex carrier,” Goshenite said. “It seems to be retreating. Thing is, it still has two of its Apexes. What do you make of this?”

Just then, the other two Apexes made their reappearance. The Valkyrie blocked the incoming blasts, and a punch thrown by the more damaged one. She responded with a backhand, stunning it as she turned towards the other.

“I dunno, maybe it’s just retreating,” said Topaz.

“Move!” More scuffling as the Gem in charge shoved Topaz out of the way. “Your Brilliance, we have a lock on the carrier’s course. You aren’t going to like these results…”

If Goshenite wasn’t concerned before, she was now. “Why? What is it heading?” She dodged a punch from the Apex, retaliating in turn.

“It’s on a direct course towards Homeworld.

“ _ What _ ?” That didn’t make any sense! “Why is it heading for Homeworld!? The Interlopers have never attempted anything that bold!”

In her moment of distraction, Goshenite was blindsided by the second Apex. It struck the back of the Valkyrie’s head, almost causing her to fall from the command bridge. She regained her footing just in time and, in her mounting frustration, launched herself at it. The Valkyrie’s hands gripped the Apex’s head, and, wearing an expression of rage, Goshenite crushed it into pieces.

“I don’t know why, but there’s no doubt that’s where it’s going,” the Gem said. “And our comms aren’t strong enough to reach Homeworld to warn them!”

Okay. This was bad. But not so bad that they couldn’t handle it. “I’m going after it,” said Goshenite. Ignoring the other Apex, which seemed to be waiting for her to make the next move, Goshenite tried to activate the Valkyrie’s flight drive. However… “What?”

The flight drive was down. But that made no sense--all other systems were operating at eighty percent or more. It was only the flight drive that--no, wait. There had been a breach at the entry shaft. The flight drive had gone offline not long after. And The secondary generator was losing power by the second. Something had forced entry into her vessel, and was making its way to the top.

And then, it was there. The door to the command deck was torn off suddenly, causing Goshenite to cry out in shock. “Your Brilliance! Is something wrong?”

Goshenite turned around to see the Zoisite-Predator staring back at her with its glowing yellow eyes. “There’s been a breach!” she replied. The Predator flung itself at her before she could elaborate. She ducked under its tendrils, but was unable to avoid its hand, which clasped around her neck.

“My Goshenite! What’s going on up there!?” asked Topaz.

Grabbing both her arms, the Predator’s cannon began to shift. Metal panels whirred and clicked, until it was no longer a cannon at the end of its arm, but a drill. A drill that glowed with energy as it began to spin, and was thrust at Goshenite’s face.

She held up an arm to block the attack. She grabbed it by the arm, thankfully avoiding the drill itself. She tried to force it back as it inched closer and closer. That was when an idea hit her: the flight engine may be down, but there were still the secondary ships. “Change of plans!” she said, strained. “I can’t go, but you can!”

Tired of waiting for her, the Apex ran at her, throwing a punch. Goshenite ducked down, avoiding both this punch and the Predator’s drill. She threw a punch herself, which managed to hit both of the Interlopers. Neither was down for good, but they would be down just long enough for her to enact her plan.

“Goshenite? What are you talking about?” asked Nines. Goshenite didn’t reply. Instead, she brought her arm down onto a corridor near the command center. A scream came from the other Gem inside.

“What was that!?” she yelled, trying and failing not to sound accusatory.

“You three, inside, now!” Goshenite yelled. “And you can come too, if you want.”

“Better than staying here!” she replied. Rapid footsteps could be heard over the comms.

“Goshenite, we can’t just leave you here!” said Tenrit. “You won’t be able to get back!”

The Predator had recovered, latching itself onto Goshenite’s back with its tentacles. It tried to stab her with its drill again, so, making sure to keep her left arm steady, she reached up with her right arm to counter. Worse still, the Apex was unloading blast after blast into the Valkyrie’s back. “No time to argue! Get on, now, that’s an order!”

“Come on, you heard her!” said Topaz. Three more sets of retreating footsteps could be heard, and then the comms went silent. Struggling against the Predator, and taking more and more damage from the Apex, Goshenite waited until everyone was inside before making her move.

Before long, a notice on her heads-up display alerted her that four people had entered the secondary ship. Immediately, Goshenite threw herself backwards, slamming the Predator into the wall, and slamming against the Apex. She reached up to grab both; lifting both Interlopers up over her head, she threw them both into the distance.

Clenching her hand into a fist, Goshenite pointed it up in the direction the carrier had gone. With the push of a few buttons, she launched the secondary ship: the Valkyrie’s fist disengaged, launching skyward. The four of them rose up out of the planet’s atmosphere, until the handship was just a green dot in the sky.

“Diamondspeed, you all,” said Goshenite. She turned to face the Predator, causing the Valkyrie to turn and face the Apex. “One last heat...shall we begin?”

In Goshenite’s mind, both Interlopers seemed to be as one as they charged at her. Likewise, Goshenite herself seemed to become one with the Valkyrie as she met them head-on. She countered their blows, retaliating with a punch from above. She summoned her staff to meet the Predator’s tendrils; and though the Valkyrie had no such weapon, Goshenite made sure its hands made contact with the Apex.

Goshenite threw her staff at the Predator. It glanced off its armor, but nonetheless released a spark of yellow energy: it was still drawing power from Zoisite’s gemstone. Goshenite braced herself, then sprinted forwards.

She wasn’t sure if the Apex and the Predator really did move in tandem, or if it just seemed that way. But what she did know was that she shrugged off their attacks and broke through their defenses. She threw a punch with her left arm: the same that had been severed by Teptromina. The uppercut gave her just enough time to launch her next attack.

She threw her right arm forwards. Both her own hand and that of the Valkyrie broke through metal. Both hands gripped something round, before retreating through the entryway they had made. Goshenite tore Zoisite’s gem from the Predator’s chest, just as the Valkyrie tore out the Apex’s core.

Goshenite bubbled the gem in her hands, then disappeared it back to Homeworld. The Valkyrie dropped the core to the ground. She looked up, staring at both Interlopers.

“Can you hear this, Teptromina? I’ve shown you what I can do. You may be filled with a fighting spirit as you claim, but you’ll find that we Gems have something you lack: when it comes to defending our home, we will never. Give. Up. So come find me again. I’ll be waiting.”

Goshenite raised both arms over her head. Fist(s) clenched, she brought both down onto the Interlopers before her. Predator and Apex alike crumpled to the ground, both of their eyes fading to black.

Finally, Goshenite was able to breathe a sigh of relief. With all her enemies defeated, it was only now that she saw the heavy damage that the Valkyrie had taken. Power was steadily dropping; she deactivated all power systems, and the Valkyrie dropped down to one knee. With the fighting stopped, only silence rang out.

“Oh, Supreme General!” cried a Peridot, as Goshenite made her way out of the Valkyrie. “Are you okay? What happened to Zoisite?”

“She’s fine, she should be back on Homeworld by now,” said Goshenite, exhausted. “Homeworld…” She glanced up at the stars, before turning back to the Peridot. “How much longer until the  _ Xenocide _ is repaired?”

“W-well...with the attack, it might be a while,” she answered. “But if we divert our resources, I’m sure we can have it space-worthy in minutes…”

Letting out a sigh, Goshenite leaned up against the side of the Valkyrie’s boot. “I’d like to be back on Homeworld as soon as possible, but...I don’t want to interrupt your repairs. Do it at your discretion.”

The Peridot nodded. “We will, Supreme General. You’ll be back on Homeworld before you know it.” As she watched the Peridot strolling back towards the outpost, Goshenite silently began to reconsider the archaic nature of the warp pad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this one took a while, school's been a bit rough lately. But given how this chapter turned out, I think the wait was worth it! Do you agree?


	18. Beneath Giants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the battle at Horizon Outpost, the Interlopers launch a daring attack on Homeworld itself.

Chapter Eighteen: Beneath Giants

\- - -

_Calceus Spaceport, Low Homeworld Orbit._

The Lone Nephrite’s eye looked down at the planet below, which was just beginning to crest over the sun. Only a slim crescent was illuminated as the station’s endless rotation continued.

“Nephrite’s log, entry number...ah, frack it, I’m the only one who listens to these things anyway,” she said into a datascreen. She leaned back in her seat, looking out the window with a bored expression. “Homeworld continues to be beautiful, just like the last couple hundred times I saw it. There’s, uh, no problems here, or any day, so uh… Unless you count some Rubies getting into a fistfight a problem. Yeah, me neither. It’s not that I’m bored or anything, it’s just...actually, scratch that. I am bored, bored out of my gem. Sometimes I wish something would happen around here--”

Just then, an alert started ringing out on the nearby console. Without giving it much thought, the Nephrite rolled her chair over to the console, tapping a button to bring up a screen. An unknown ship without the proper clearance was approaching.

She tapped another button to send a message. “Uh, attention unidentified vessel, you are not currently registered to the database. Please send over your registration numbers so we can, ah, get this show on the road, or whatever…”

The ship, still too far to make out, didn’t stop, or even slow down. And no message was sent in return; all that came through the other end was a strange staticky sound. Nephrite continued trying to contact the mystery ship, to no avail.

“Oh, for...Probably irradiated, I’ll bet,” she muttered. She brought up the video feed, turning the cameras towards the rogue vessel. “Hopefully she at least has the sense to slow down, or else the cannons will...o-oh...oh my stars…”

There was no mistaking now that it was not a Gem ship, but an Interloper one. The Nephrite felt herself freeze up as it sped closer and closer to the planet. The Interlopers had never even attempted to send a ship this close to Homeworld before! Not since the war had begun, at least. Was it lost or something? As she scrambled to contact her superiors about this worrying development, the Nephrite continued talking to herself.

“Alright, so this is a first, but it’s no big deal! It’s just one ship, it’s not like it can do a whole lot of damage!” She noticed that its path seemed to put it on a direct course for the Capital District. And given how fast it was going, it had no intention of slowing down. “Is it _trying_ to crash? But what...no, it’s fine, it’ll be fine! The cannons will stop it before it gets there!” She ran over to the window to see this for herself.

Some time after Era-2 had begun, an array of defensive satellites had been placed in orbit around Homeworld to prevent any further Interloper attacks. As the carrier drew closer, all nearby satellites automatically aimed their cannons towards it, opening fire. The ship didn’t shoot back, or even take evasive maneuvers, only barrelling on forwards. The satellites’ weapons tore through its hull, and before long, it was destroyed.

Nephrite watched as the vessel exploded under the sustained barrage. Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, she realized that the danger was not past. Out of the explosion came a pair of unidentified objects, which shot past the satellite array and towards Homeworld’s surface. Nephrite ran back to the console to contact someone, anyone; the ship hadn’t been trying to reach Homeworld, it had been trying to get those objects, whatever they were, down to the planet. This was not going to end well.

\- - -

_Homeworld, Capital District. Surveillance Headquarters, Grand Spymaster’s Office._

Nobody spoke. Pearl, Onyx, Tanzanite, and Cairngorm all sat in silence, as Maxixe stared at them from behind her desk. She didn’t look angry, per se, but Maxixe rarely did. She certainly looked disappointed, however. Much of this was directed at Cairngorm.

Finally, Maxixe broke the long-lasting silence. “If I could, I would bring this matter up to the Diamonds,” she said.

“Um, thank you for not doing that,” said Cairngorm, unsure of what she really meant. It means a lot that--wait, why can’t you?”

“Because at this moment, they have other things to worry about,” Maxixe said. Matters pertaining to the Cluster. It has taken far too long to emerge on its own, and Blue and Yellow Diamond are debating whether or not to go to Earth to retrieve it themselves.”

“So...where does that leave us?” asked Pearl.

“It leaves you as my responsibility,” said Maxixe. “Of course, by that, I mean I will discuss matters with Goshenite once she returns from her current mission.”

“Oh yeah. Speaking of which, where is she?” asked Onyx. “We haven’t heard from her since Chiron Beta Prime. Is she doin’ alright?”

“We haven’t yet contacted her,” said Maxixe. “But once we do, or she contacts us, we will decide what to do with--”

A light rumble shook the room. All five of them noticed, looking around in confusion when they felt it. It wasn’t that strong, but it was definitely noticeable--like there had been some sort of distant explosion, or an impact of some kind.

“What was that about?” asked Pearl.

“I’m not sure,” said Maxixe. “Maybe a quake?”

“Highly unlikely,” said Tanzanite. “There has been no recorded evidence of seismic activity on Homeworld for eons.” She stood up. “I propose we go investigate.”

“Oh, very well,” Maxixe said, getting up as well. “But don’t think you aren’t out of trouble.”

“‘Course not, ‘course not,” said Onyx. All of them stepped out the door to see what was happening. A collection of Gems stood around the window outside Maxixe’s office, murmuring. They all seemed to be fixated on something going on in the distance.

“What seems to be the issue?” said Maxixe. The Gems were either too transfixed to hear her, or whatever was going on was more important than their superior. Now as curious as they seemed to be, Maxixe glanced out the window to see what they were staring at. “Oh, my…”

At two separate locations in the distance, roughly a mile apart from each other, two gigantic plumes of smoke billowed upwards. “What on Homeworld happened out there?” asked Tanzanite.

“It was the strangest thing,” said a Peridot near her. “Everything was normal, and then, all of a sudden, a pair of meteors just falls from out of nowhere!”

“Meteors, huh?” said Pearl. “They must have been pretty big to cause that much damage.”

“This doesn’t make any sense,” said Maxixe. “The defense array should have destroyed any approaching meteors. Something here doesn’t add up…”

A gasp of terror from a nearby Gem. “L-look!” she stammered. “S-something’s standing up!”

“‘Standing up?’ What do you mean, ‘standing up?’” said Cairngorm.

Looking closer at the impact site, something did indeed seem to be rising up through the smoke. As it slowly became more visible, a head and arms could be clearly seen. Four glowing red eyes shone through the smoke, accompanied by a pair of deep, reverberating groans.

“Holy shard…” said Onyx in disbelief. “T-that’s an Apex! What’s an Apex doing on Homeworld!?”

“That’s not just an Apex, that’s _two_ Apexes!” said Cairngorm, pointing over to the second impact site. Pandemonium had more or less broken out in the building, as Gems scrambled to get to safety. The Apexes were still a good ways away, but tall buildings such as this would certainly be their first target.

“Everyone, stay calm!” cried Maxixe. “Quickly, head downstairs and get to a bunker!” She turned to Cairngorm and the others. “You four go with them, I need to gather my forces.”

“Wait...” said Pearl, staring out the window. The pair of Apexes had already begun to destroy everything in their path, smashing buildings and swatting at nearby ships. “We need to get over there to help.”

After thinking about it for a moment, Onyx agreed. “She’s right,” she said. “We gotta defend our home. I, for one, can’t sit back and watch while these things tear apart the capital!”

Tanzanite and Cairngorm said nothing, but it was clear that they agreed as well. “If you’re sure,” said Maxixe. “There is a monorail station on the fifteenth floor that should get you closer into the city. Be careful.”

“Thanks. Make sure everyone here gets out okay!” said Cairngorm, calling over her shoulder as she and the others hurried downstairs.

“And don’t think you’re out of trouble just yet!” Maxixe called as they ran.

“Onyx?” asked Tanzanite. “Rushing into danger as we are doing is undeniably brave, but how are we supposed to do any damage to an Apex?”

“Hey, don’t look at me, you’re the smart one!” said Onyx.

“We’ll figure something out!” said Pearl. “We always do, right?”

\- - -

Nines stared through the ship’s viewscreen in horror, watching the destruction below. “We’re too late…” she muttered. The Apexes tore the cityscape apart, bashing through anything that got in their way. Ships had already arrived to fend them off, but nothing Homeworld threw at them seemed to do any damage.

Tenrit stepped forward, placing his hand on Nines’ shoulder. “No, it’s not too late yet,” he said. “There still has to be something we can do. Can we get in closer?”

“You _want_ to?” said the Peridot piloting their handship. “If we get close to those things, we’re as good as dead! We have to find somewhere quieter to set down.”

Topaz examined the console. “This thing’s got weapons, don’t it? So let’s use ‘em!”

The Peridot groaned in irritation. “This is only a scout ship! Anything we can throw at it will only get its attention, and we don’t want that!”

Down on the surface, specifically on the rooftops, something ran by them, too fast to see anything other than a blur. “Wha--? What was that!?” asked Tenrit. Everyone turned towards the blur, which became easier to see as it rushed towards the Apex.

“T-that’s Yellow Diamond!” exclaimed the Peridot. “She’s running in to fight that thing herself!”

Sure enough, the unmistakable form of Yellow Diamond, charged with an aura of electricity, sprinted across the rooftops towards the titanic machine. Moving far faster than a being of her size would be expected to, faster even than one much smaller, she hurled herself at the Apex like a bullet; the Apex reeled back when she made contact, a large dent appearing in the side of its head.

Of course, such an impact created a sizable shockwave. A surge of electricity shot through the air, momentarily scrambling the ship’s controls. Peridot stabilized it before it could fall to the ground; “Let’s find a place to land before this whole city gets torn apart!”

“Agreed!” said Nines. She scanned the ground as the handship hurried away from the destruction, along with many other ships. However, her eyes caught something strange on the ground: four very familiar figures grouped together on a nearby rooftop. “Huh? Is that…?”

She looked closer. Sure enough, the large black shape was undeniably Onyx. The two smaller ones next to her were no doubt Tanzanite and Pearl, but she wasn’t sure who the fourth one was. Nevertheless, she called the others over for a look.

“Guys, c’mere! Look isn’t that the rest of Emerald’s crew? Peridot, hang on, stop here for a moment.” Tenrit and Topaz looked down at the rooftops below.

“Yeah, that _is_ them!” said Tenrit. “What’re the odds of that?”

“Considering the Interlopers are involved?” said Topaz. “I’d say pretty high, actually.”

Nines ran over to the ship’s controls. “Peridot, you gotta set us down here! Something tells me those guys have a plan to stop those things!”

The Peridot input some commands into the console. An escape pod appeared behind her. “You can go down there if you want, but I’m going down to the Scorpio district until this all blows over!”

“I’ll take it,” said Topaz, getting inside the pod. “You two comin’, or what?”

Meanwhile, Onyx and the others watched from afar as the Apexes continued their rampage. One of them was locked in combat with Yellow Diamond, but it was too far away to tell how the fight was going, only that massive lightning strikes were coming from that direction. The other Apex ignored its partner’s situation, instead focusing on continuing its destruction.

“Alright, let’s just assume that Yellow Diamond’s got that one handled,” said Onyx. “That just leaves us with one Apex to deal with. Which is still a lot, ‘cause it’s, y’know, an Apex, but it’s better than two.”

“We are still only four Gems,” said Tanzanite. “We have no ship, an Apex is far beyond even our collective powers to damage, and we have no plan. Are you certain we should even be here?”

“It’s not like hiding will make it go away any faster,” Pearl said. “We have to do something, even if it doesn’t help much…”

“Hey, guys? I think we’ve got incoming,” said Cairngorm.

“Eh? What sort of incoming?” asked Onyx. Cairngorm pointed up at a handship hovering overhead, out of which came an escape pod. The pod hovered down towards them, landing on the same rooftop.

The orb split open, revealing Topaz, Nines, and Tenrit within. “You guys look like you could use a hand!” said Topaz.

“Oh, it’s you!” said Pearl. “Thank the stars you’re here! Right now, we could use all the help we can get!” She looked at them for a moment. “...wait, where’s Goshenite?”

“Probably still back on Gozyos-IV,” said Tenrit. “We ran into some trouble there, that’s actually where those two came from. We followed them here, and Goshenite stayed behind to deal with the others.”

“It’s been an interesting couple of days,” said Nines. “You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff we’ve been through!”

“Yeah, same here,” Cairngorm said. “But right now, I think we should probably focus on more pressing matters…” She pointed with her thumb at the twin Apexes.

“Good idea,” Nines said. She and the others joined Onyx’s group, looking at the chaos going on in the distance. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Funny you should ask,” said Tanzanite. “We were attempting to formulate one just as you arrived.”

“You mean...we don’t have a plan?” said Topaz. Pearl shook her head. “Well that’s just great! How’re a couple o’ Gems like us supposed to deal with an Apex!?”

She raised a good point. Not even the sustained barrage from the ships were doing much to slow the titanic Interlopers down. There wasn’t much the seven of them could do, even with a plan.

“I mean, just look at that!” Topaz continued, gesturing towards the furthest Apex. “If even Yellow Diamond is having trouble killing one, what’re _we_ supposed to do!?”

“Look, we’ll think of something,” said Onyx. She didn’t sound too sure, though. “If we all work together, we can--”

“We can do _what_ , exactly?” snapped Topaz. “You wanna just waltz up to that thing and blast it with the giant laser you don’t have? You’re not White Diamond, you know!”

Suddenly, Pearl was struck with an idea. “White Diamond,” she said quietly. Her gaze turned outward into the city, onto a building not far from where the Apexes were rampaging. The Diamond pavilion, where three of their ships resided. And that included White Diamond’s, which she never left. “Guys, I know what to do! We’re not strong enough to beat them...but I know who is!” She pointed towards the ship.

“What, White Diamond?” Cairngorm said skeptically. “She probably _could_ , but she never even leaves her landing pad.”

“Which is why we’ll lure the Apex up to the pavilion!” said Pearl. “That way, she’d _have_ to take care of it!”

“...Unorthodox, but I suppose it is worth a try,” said Tanzanite. “How do we proceed?”

“Yeah, we don’t even have a ship,” said Tenrit. “Prooobably should have thought of that before we jumped off the old one…”

Pearl smiled. “Where we’re going, we don’t need a ship!” Her gemstone lit up, and she produced the bubble containing Emerald’s gem. She popped it, and Emerald’s body began to reform. Before long, the Supreme Admiral-turned-monster stood before them.

Emerald let out a mighty skyward roar upon being freed. Topaz, being unacquainted with Emerald’s transformation, staggered back away from her. Nines and Tenrit seemed similarly apprehensive, only less so. Once the sight of the Apexes in the distance caught her eye, Emerald growled, looking like she was going to run towards them.

“My Emerald, wait!” said Pearl. She stood next to her, gently stroking her mane. “Calm down, it’s okay, it’s okay.” Gradually, Emerald calmed, but never took her eyes off of the distant Interlopers. “There, that’s good.”

Cairngorm, like the others, had retreated to a safe distance. “Uh, Pearl? What exactly is your plan here?”

“Step one: get it’s attention.” Pearl, moving slowly so as to not upset her, climbed onto Emerald’s back. “Step two: lead it towards the pavilion.” She sat down near Emerald’s neck, holding on to her mane. “And step three: let White Diamond take it from there!”

“Pearl, wait!” Nines ran up to her. “You can’t just throw yourself into harm’s way like this! You need a backup plan!”

“Here’s the backup plan,” Pearl said. “The rest of you go and get the _Soul Evaporator_. If I can’t stop this thing, the Decimator can.”

“You cannot be serious!” said Tanzanite. “This is not a strategy, this is a diversion, one destined to end in failure--Pearl, I implore you to reconsider!”

“Sorry, everyone,” said Pearl. “But I’ve made up my mind… My Emerald! Go!” Emerald ran down the roof, leaping towards the next one over.

“Wait! Don’t do this!” Onyx ran after her, but Emerald was too fast, travelling nearly a block by the time she got to the other end of the rooftop. Pearl hung on as tightly as she could, but Emerald was careful to keep the ride as smooth as she could. Not that leaping from roof to roof was smooth, but she was making an effort.

The beast and her rider flew closer to the Apex. As they traveled, Pearl could see the battle going on in the distance: not only lightning strikes, but now also waves and beams of blue energy kept the machine at bay. It would seem Yellow’s sister had joined the fray. _Blue and Yellow are destroying one, and White will destroy the other_ , Pearl thought.

At last, they had reached their target. Now all that remained was to get it’s attention. That, and leading it to the pavilion without being smashed, of course. “Okay, My Emerald, we need to get it to notice us,” Pearl said. “Do you think you can do that?”

Emerald growled in reply. She made her way up to the tallest building in the area, where she whipped a flurry of spines from her tail towards Apex’s head. Despite being unable to pierce through its armor, the spines did make it pause. Emerald let out a loud roar just to seal the deal.

Sure enough, the Apex turned to face them, a booming drone splitting the air as though in reply to Emerald’s roar. “Now go, Emerald!” shouted Pearl. “To the Diamond pavilion, as fast as you can go!” Emerald took off running, and not a moment too soon, as the Apex reached up to smash the building they had been standing on. A cloud of debris filled the air just inches behind them. Pearl clung to Emerald tighter than ever as she rushed to their destination.

While she didn’t quite slow down, Emerald did pause momentarily to fire more spines towards the Apex, but only when she felt they were at a safe distance, to make sure it didn’t lose interest. It certainly didn’t, throwing buildings aside and crashing through bridges to crush the pesky Gem who kept poking it. Pearl quietly hoped it wasn’t smart enough to catch on to their plan.

And while it may not have been, it was certainly smart enough to realize that Emerald was faster than it. The Apex opted for a different strategy, raising its arm towards the pair. A blaster had taken the place of its hand, glowing steadily brighter with red energy. A powerful pulse was shot towards them.

The rooftop exploded just seconds after Emerald had leapt off. Although the initial blast had missed, the explosion hadn’t. Pearl felt the heat wash over them, throwing them onto another rooftop. Emerald took the brunt of the impact, turning herself so that she cushioned Pearl as the pair landed.

Pearl looked up to see the Apex preparing to fire another shot. Its cannon glowed as it charged up. Emerald struggled to her feet, but there was no chance she could make it in time. Pearl closed her eyes. But while she heard an explosion, she didn’t feel one. She opened her eyes, seeing that something had impacted the Apex from behind. She looked towards the source, and…

“Goshenite!” she cried. There, in the skies above them, was the _Xenocide_ , looking quite banged-up, but still airworthy. The ship’s main cannons fired another volley, blasting away at the Apex. “My Emerald, it’s Goshenite!” She leapt up and down, waving her arms to get the white Gem’s attention. “Over here! Goshenite, follow us!”

Emerald, having gotten back up, scooped Pearl back onto her back once more, before sending another barrage of spines towards the Apex. She resumed her journey, continuing to lure it towards White Diamond’s ship. Thankfully, as it now seemed to be more interested in the _Xenocide_ , Goshenite followed in the same direction. The Apex gave chase. It fired more blasts, but all of these were at Goshenite rather than Emerald. She had ample time and space to dodge.

“There it is!” shouted Pearl, pointing up. “Just a little longer, My Emerald!” The corrupted Gem continued on her path, but soon found that there was no easy way up. The wall before them was too tall to climb, and there were no footholds to grab onto. Behind them, the Apex grew closer and closer. Emerald grew agitated, trying futilely to ascend the wall. “Hold on, My Emerald, we just need to…” But Pearl wasn’t sure _what_ they needed to do. That was until she heard a noise behind them.

She turned around to see the _Xenocide_ hovering beside them; or rather, just a small bit below them. From this angle, it would be easy for Emerald to climb on…

“My Emerald! There!” said Pearl, directing her with a point. Emerald quickly jumped on top of the vessel, which ascended over the wall to the next layer of the city. The Apex was close behind, taking a swing at the ship, thankfully missing.

Goshenite was careful to keep the ship level so her passengers wouldn’t fall off. Unfortunately, this meant that she had to move slower. This, of course, meant that their pursuer was able to catch up. The Apex easily climbed over the wall up to the next layer, and like that, it was upon them. It swung its giant arm, swiping the ship out of the sky like a gnat.

In truth, it had only clipped the back of the Xenocide, but that was enough to send it into a tailspin. Pearl clung to Emerald, and Emerald’s claws raked down the length of the ship as she desperately tried to avoid being thrown off. As the ship careened down, Emerald, seeing an opportunity, leapt from the falling vessel to a nearby rooftop. It was a rough landing; she and Pearl rolled to a stop, thankfully before they reached the edge. The _Xenocide_ flew past them, back towards the lower levels.

“Goshenite!” cried Pearl, reaching an arm out towards the falling ship. But she had bigger problems to worry about: the Apex grew nearer, its eyes fixed on Emerald’s fallen form. Pearl tried to pull her up; “My Emerald, we have to go, now! Please, please, stand up!” Emerald struggled to do so, having taken quite a bit of damage from the two falls. Pearl looked up at the approaching giant. But, just behind it, she was something else.

They had made it to the city’s upper level. Which put them parallel with the Diamond pavilion. Behind the Apex, Pearl could see White Diamond’s ship slowly turning, rotating its head to face the Interloper. As the Apex raised its arm towards Pearl and Emerald, a bright white glow appeared on the ship’s forehead. Pearl shielded her eyes from whichever came first.

A loud drone split the air as a flash of light illuminated the city for miles around. Pearl could hear metal rend above her as White Diamond’s attack tore through the Apex. When the light subsided, she looked up just in time to see it, much of its upper body now vaporized, stumble back, and fall down to the lower levels.

For a few moments, Pearl simply sat in silence, catching her breath after their harrowing escape. Which is when Emerald, lying beside her, gently licked her cheek. Pearl laughed, throwing her arms around the beast. “Yeah, I’m glad you’re okay, too!”

Down in the lower levels, Goshenite crawled out of the _Xenocide_. “And I just got this thing repaired, too!” she groaned. “Not well, but still…” She looked up at the fallen Apex, content that Homeworld was at least safe. For now.

Speaking of which, she noticed that the other Apex had fallen not far from where she had landed. Blue and Yellow Diamond stood atop its inert form, arguing about something. Goshenite was never one to eavesdrop, not that she could hear them very well at this distance, but one thing she could make out was Yellow saying that she was going to retrieve the Cluster herself. Given that the argument stopped just then, it seemed that Blue agreed.

\- - -

 _Goshenite’s Residence_.

“...And you’re certain that it obtained this information?” asked Goshenite.

“Positive,” replied Maxixe, seated across from her. “According to Cairngorm, the Raptor was able to successfully break through our firewalls. She managed to destroy it before it could download everything, but it was able to send what it did to the Oculus. Heliodor has already recorded that the Interloper activity in the Mieren system has increased drastically.”

Goshenite shot an angry glance over at Pearl, Tanzanite, Onyx, and Cairngorm, who stood at the other end of the room. “Have they gotten close to Giganova’s actual location?”

Maxixe thought for a moment. “Not close enough to warrant a panic, not yet,” she said. “But I fear that it may soon come to that.”

“And what is it that you recommend I do?” asked Goshenite. “Going there myself might give away its position.”

“I recommend we wait for Heliodor to contact us,” Maxixe said. “If she needs your assistance, she’ll say so. Of course, something like that will probably be a last resort.”

“Most likely,” Goshenite said, nodding. “Of course, there’s still the matter of Teptromina’s tracking of my location.”

“Oh?” said Maxixe. “You neglected to mention anything about a tracker. What is that about?”

“Truth be told, I’m not entirely sure,” Goshenite said. “Somehow, in addition to that little episode on Chiron Beta Prime, Teptromina was somehow able to find me twice afterwards. I had the _Xenocide_ combed for any tracking devices, but nothing was found.” She stood up, walking towards the other room. “Zoisite did mention that she found something, though. I should ask her.”

Before Goshenite could do so, however, the front door slid open, and one of her Milky Quartzes entered. “M-my Goshenite!” she said, sounding near-hysterical. “I--it--we…”

Goshenite, taken aback, turned to face this new visitor. “What is this about?” she asked. “You can’t just barge in here and--”

“I’m sorry, My Goshenite, but it’s urgent!” said the Quartz. She sounded shaken up, and stared ahead with unfocused eyes. “I-it’s about t-the Diamonds, and Earth, and…” She trailed off into silence, seemingly lost in thought.

The other Gems present, curious, made their way over. “Easy there, Quartz,” said Maxixe. “There’s news? Can you tell us the news?”

The Milky Quartz nodded. “W-W-White Diamond just r-recieved a communication from them,” she stammered. “They…”

“Did they retrieve the Cluster?” asked Goshenite.

“No…” she said, falling quiet again.

“ _Then what did--_ ”

“Goshenite, please!” said Maxixe. “Now, what did the communication say?” she asked the Quartz.

“I-it said...they found Pink Diamond.”

Everyone was silent. “What…?”

“Pink Diamond. T-they found her. She’s alive…”


	19. Return of the Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite and the others discuss the implications of Pink Diamond's return.

Chapter Nineteen: Return of the Princess

\- - -

Once the news was made public, all of Homeworld was practically in an uproar. The knowledge that one of their leaders, long presumed dead, had been alive this whole time would have been enough to drive most societies into chaos. Luckily for Goshenite and the others, White Diamond’s presence was more than enough to keep the entire populace from devolving into rioting. Her voice broadcast across every channel across the empire shortly after the Milky Quartz had delivered the news:

“Gems across the universe, hear the voice of Your Diamond! Yellow and Blue, who have just ventured to Earth, have sent me the most wonderful news! Pink Diamond, long thought shattered, has been found alive! She has survived all these years, inhabiting the body of an organic host. She will return alongside Yellow and Blue later this very day. Rejoice, for this is a grand occasion! The highest-ranking members of every court will be required to attend her return. This is truly a glorious day for our empire!”

Her message was heard on every Gem colony and outpost throughout the universe. Tacitus-4. Alpus Beta. Rulax-14. Volrekk. Auragh-18. Moridius. Gozyos-IV. Even Mieren-VII. But it was Homeworld itself where much of the unrest was located.

Pearl stood near the window of the top floor of the Capital Spire, staring down at the streets below. They bustled with activity even more than usual, in a state of nothing short of pandemonium. If Pearl didn’t know any better, she would have sworn that White Diamond had just announced that the world was ending. Of course, given the nature of White’s announcement, she figured that the throngs were jubilant rather than riotous.

Goshenite paced the floor a short distance away. “None of this makes sense,” she muttered. “She was shattered--there were witnesses! How did she survive for all these millennia?”

Seated nearby were Maxixe and Bixbite. “You heard Her Brilliance,” said the latter. “She is using an organic body as a host. This must be how she survived the other Diamonds’ attack on Earth.”

“That isn’t what I meant,” said Goshenite. “How does someone, even a Diamond, survive being shattered!?”

Maxixe, unlike Goshenite, didn’t seem to be too bothered by this revelation. “The power of the Diamonds is well known, but very little of the actual details are understood. For all we know, shattering is nothing more than a minor inconvenience for a Diamond! In any case, I have read Yellow Diamond’s report, and Pink seemingly has no memory of her time during or directly after the war.”

“It must be that organic body,” said Bixbite. “Organics are notoriously fragile. It must be slowly decaying.”

“Bixbite, I hardly think it has anything to do with--” Maxixe tried to say.

“Think on this: have you ever known an organic to live for over five thousand years?” asked Bixbite. She was met with silence. “I rest my case.”

“That’s all fine and good, but...what are we supposed to do now?” said Goshenite. “Don’t get me wrong, Pink Diamond’s return is a great thing, a wonderful thing, but has it really come at the best time? The Interlopers are becoming more and more aggressive. Between Teptromina personally getting involved, and the recent assault on the Capital District…” She didn’t need to say more.

“It may seem a bit odd, but I see this as only a good thing,” said Maxixe. “Before the Earth War, Homeworld was at its strongest. Once Pink was lost, our empire became fractured. The only reason the Interlopers attacked us was because they knew we were weakened. Not that she is returning, I have no doubt Homeworld will become stronger than ever.”

“I hope you’re right,” Goshenite said. She sat down beside the other two Beryls. “Otherwise, this whole thing reeks of coincidence.”

Something about Goshenite’s comment caught Pearl’s attention. She slowly walked over as the trio continued their conversation.

“What do you mean by that?” asked Bixbite.

“Pink Diamond returns not long after the Interlopers launch a direct attack on Homeworld? It’s most likely nothing...but I can’t shake the feeling that--”

“M-miss Goshenite?” Pearl said quietly.

“Hmm?” Goshenite turned towards the smaller Gem, as did Bixbite and Maxixe. “What is it, Pearl?”

“It’s just...I had a thought,” Pearl said. “Ever since those giant machines attacked, I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that Onyx, Cairngorm, Tanzanite and I are responsible. Remember that Interloper incident we had at the surveillance headquarters?”

“All too well,” said Maxixe, hiding her annoyance. “But Homeworld’s location isn’t a secret. Why would that cause them to attack us?”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Pearl said. “But then, when White Diamond made her announcement, I thought of something else. What if...what if Teptromina knew that Pink Diamond was alive? I-I know that sounds crazy, but...what if he wanted something like this to happen?”

Everyone thought about this for a moment. “Why would Teptromina want Pink Diamond to return?” said Bixbite. “Like Maxixe said, only good can come of her return. How could this benefit the Interlopers?”

Pearl only shrugged. “It’s crazy, I know.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Goshenite said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Teptromina knows more than we think he does. He must have a reason to only be revealing himself now.”

“Yes. And that reason is, he and his Interloper cronies are growing desperate,” said Bixbite. “If they do know of Pink Diamond’s return, I imagine they are beginning to panic. That would explain how bold they’re becoming.”

The telltale sound of the elevator reaching the top floor sounded out. The door opened, and out strolled Morganite, a look of barely-restrained glee on her face. “Dahlings, you’re already here!” she exclaimed. “Have you heard the news?”

“News, eh?” said Bixbite. “Why, no, we were just discussing the latest model of Roaming Eye. What is this news you speak of?”

Morganite shot her a dirty look, before joining the Beryls in their seats. “Hello, Pearl,” she said, affectionately stroking the Gem’s hair. “Surely you must be excited, yes?”

“Oh, very, Miss Morganite,” Pearl said. “I never got the chance to see Pink Diamond in person, so I’m glad I can finally get the chance. You must be really happy--weren’t you in her court?”

“That I was, dahling,” said Morganite, staring off fondly into space. “That reminds me--you were originally supposed to be for her, weren’t you?”

“Mhmm,” Pearl nodded. “Blue Diamond had me custom made, a gift to replace White Diamond’s hand-me-down. Things...may not have turned out like they were planned, but I’m glad I ended up with Emerald!”

“Yes, I’m sure she is as well,” said Morganite. “She was very fond of you.”

“Is,” said Goshenite. “Emerald  _ is _ very fond of you.”

Goshenite looked around. “Speaking of Emeralds, has she arrived yet? Of Heliodor?”

Bixbite shook her head. “Not yet. Emerald is busy chasing down those pirates, and Heliodor is...busy with you-know-what. I don’t believe either of them will make it.”

After a brief silence, Maxixe got to her feet--or rather, her wings. “It’s almost evening,” she said. “Shall we get ready?”

Goshenite stood up as well. “Yes, I think we should. We definitely don’t want to be late for this.”

\- - -

A mere few hours later, some of the highest ranking Gems in the empire, at least those that were on-world, were sorted according to color in the Diamond pavilion. Each one of them eagerly awaited the arrival of Pink Diamond, Era-1 and Era-2 alike. The former were overjoyed that their beloved Pink was still alive, and the latter, who had only heard stories about her, if even that, were excited to finally meet her.

Goshenite was grouped with the handful of other Goshenites that had been able to leave their colonies. Pearl stood by her side, staring up into the sky. “Will she be here soon?” she asked.

“Any moment,” said Goshenite. “Keep looking.”

Pearl anxiously squirmed in place, looking up at the sky for any sign of Pink’s ship. She wasn’t really sure what to look for, but she was sure she’d know it when she saw it.

Pearl wasn’t sure how long she had been waiting for when she heard a shout over from Yellow Diamond’s court. A Heliodor, not the one she was familiar with, was excitedly pointing up into the sky. She followed her arm, and found a small speck breaking through the planet’s atmosphere. Commotion sprouted up all around the pavilion as more and more Gems saw the approaching ship as well. Pearl grabbed onto Goshenite’s arm in her excitement. A hushed silence fell over the crowd.

The ship, an enormous pair of legs, approached the landing dock. Pearl stared in awe as it streaked through the air, landing down on the platform. The silence turned to a roar as every Gem burst began cheering for the returned Diamond.

And then, the Diamonds made their appearance. Blue and Yellow were the most noticeable, and down by their feet there were a handful of Gems, as well as a pair of organics. “Is that her?” Pearl asked.

“It must be,” said Goshenite, squinting to get a better view. “But...something about that organic looks...familiar…”

The crowd’s enthusiastic cheering was instantly cut short when a droning sound cut through the air. The entire pavilion fell silent as an eerie figure made its appearance, floating through the air from White Diamond’s ship. Her Pearl, long since made a puppet of her own will, approached Pink Diamond.

Pearl and Goshenite were too far away to hear what was being said. “What’s going on?” asked the former.

“I don’t know,” said Goshenite. “White must want to see Pink after all this time, surely.”

A white sphere suddenly enveloped both Pink and the Pearl, carrying them both back towards White’s ship. Some of the smaller Gems nearby ran after it, and the Diamonds stared on with a look of what could almost be described as fearful pity. The Gems in the pavilion stared at the bubble, but Pearl’s attention was still on Pink’s ship.

As the two Diamonds conversed with the Gems beside them, the Gems in the crowd slowly began to disperse. Pink had arrived, and there was no reason to stay any longer than was needed. Surely White would give them updates as needed. “Come along, Pearl,” said Goshenite, sounding all too eager to leave.

“Goshenite,” said Pearl, pointing to the ship, “someone else was there. Someone else got out of Pink Diamond’s ship.”

“What?” said Goshenite, looking down at her with confusion. “What sort of someone?”

“I don’t know,” Pearl said. “They were all white. Maybe they were another Gem.”

“Maybe,” Goshenite said, ushering Pearl towards the exit. “Right now, we have more important things to worry about than Pink Diamond’s ragtag entourage.”

“Like what?” asked Pearl.

“Like the Interlopers. They’re up to something, and I get the feeling that it’s going to be something major.” The two of them stepped out of the pavilion, joining the throngs of Gems returning to their work.


	20. The Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite attends the Era-3 ball held by the newly-returned "Pink Diamond."

Chapter Twenty: The Ball

\- - -

A picture taken of Pink just moments after she had stepped out of her ship the previous day. Next to it, a picture taken of Rose Quartz moments after fleeing from her trial earlier that year. Goshenite, standing above Maxixe at the latter’s desk, stared at both pictures on the screen. “Indeed, it is just as you suspected,” Maxixe said. “Nearly a perfect match.”

“And you doubted my judgement!” said Bixbite, who was standing at the other end of the room, sorting through more reports. “If any of us Beryls know anything about organics, it is obviously me!”

Goshenite shook her head. “I’m still not convinced. Couldn’t that just be another human?”

“Unlikely,” said Maxixe. She manipulated the pictures so that they were laid over the top of one another: everything lined up, even the colors. “It looks like Pink Diamond was here on Homeworld before, right under our noses.”

“Besides,” said Bixbite, “what are the odds that both Pink Diamond and Rose Quartz got the idea to inhabit an organic body?”

“Maybe one just got the idea from the other,” Goshenite suggested. “Besides, if this really means what you’re saying it means, then Pink Diamond has been Rose Quartz this entire time! The whole was was--”

“Orchestrated by her, yes, that’s what everyone is saying,” said Bixbite, looking over the latest news. “The Diamonds have yet to put out an official statement, though.”

“In that case, until we get official confirmation, all of this is just baseless speculation,” said Goshenite. “Rose Quartz…” she muttered under her breath. She walked over to Bixbite, glancing over her shoulder. “Have you found anything on Pink Diamond’s mystery stowaway yet?”

Bixbite shook her head. “Nothing yet.” After Goshenite and Pearl had returned to the Capital Spire, the latter had been adamant that she had seen someone else leaving Pink’s ship. Goshenite had asked Bixbite to look into the matter. “Whoever or whatever it is, the Diamonds seem to know about them, though. When asked about the matter, their reply amounted to ‘don’t worry about it.’ It’s unlikely it was a stowaway in the literal sense. Some are saying it is a human, but I cannot say for sure.”

“It’s not that it concerns me much,” Goshenite said, walking over to the window. “I have enough to deal with worrying about  _ the _ Interlopers, I don’t need any other kinds of interlopers added to the mix...”

Bixbite, noticing something on her screen, leaned in closer. “Oh. Oh, that’s interesting.”

“What is?” Maxixe turned around to face her.

Bixbite read what she saw. “Just moments ago, it was announced by Yellow Diamond that Pink Diamond plans to throw a ball in honor of her return to Homeworld. It will be held tonight, and attendance is mandatory.” She looked up at the other two. “This does not seem like the best time to be holding a ball…”

“Can you really blame the Diamonds?” said Maxixe. “Pink Diamond has returned after all these years of being believed to be dead. If I was in their position, I would want to celebrate too!”

“This all seems a bit sudden,” said Goshenite. She started for the door. “I should really head home. It being tonight doesn't give me a lot of time to prepare.”

“What’s to prepare for?” Maxixe asked her as she left. “You sing Pink Diamond’s praises, mingle for a bit, and then dance. Same as every other ball.”

“Exactly,” said Goshenite. “And we haven’t had a ball in centuries. I imagine Blue and Yellow Diamond will want us to make a good impression on Pink.”

“Er...this also says that White Diamond will be attending,” said Bixbite.

Goshenite’s face darkened. “Ah. You see? All the more reason to prepare.”

\- - -

_ Capital City ballroom. That same evening. _

The gathered crowd of Gems hummed with excitement as they stood outside the ballroom. As was tradition, the highest-ranking Gems would be granted entry first. Goshenite and her fellow members of the Council of Beryls would be the ones to enter before any other Gem.

The four who could make it, as well as Pearl, stood in front of the doors, waiting for them to open. Heliodor was still busy on Mieren-VII, and neither the former or current Supreme Admiral could make it, both for obvious reasons.

“I certainly understand what you mean, dahling,” said Morganite to Goshenite. “But that isn’t something one can just ask! I’m sure that even if it is true, Pink Diamond would not appreciate being asked if she secretly is, was, or has been Rose Quartz!”

“I understand, but how else am I supposed to find out?” Goshenite asked. “As the Supreme General, this is something I really ought to be informed of.”

“What you  _ ought _ to do is trust the Diamonds’ judgement,” Morganite shot back. Pearl looked back and forth between the two as they argued. “If they feel it is necessary for us to know, then they will let us know!”

“Maybe I could ask her why she’s still running around in my organic suit,” Goshenite muttered.

“Goshenite!” Morganite gasped in horror.

“What!? I wasn’t actually going to!” she said defensively.

“And besides, she is obviously stuck inside,” Bixbite added, to both Gems’ ire. “Otherwise, Blue and Yellow would have gotten her out by now, whether she wanted them to or not.”

With a loud creaking sound that silenced the murmur of the crowd, the ballroom doors slowly swung open. Music began to emanate from within. Pink Diamond was seated on her throne within, flanked on one side by her Pearl, and by a human on the other. Most likely some kind of pet, or companion from Earth. “The Era-3 ball has now officially begun,” announced Yellow Diamond’s Pearl. “First to enter, of the Council of Beryls, Supreme General Goshenite.”

“And here goes nothing,” Goshenite said quietly. She strolled through the ballroom, Pearl by her side. Both of them gazed up at Pink Diamond, each unsure of what to make of her. When they reached the front of the room, standing before her throne, she saluted. “Pink Diamond. On behalf of the Council of Beryls, I would like to welcome you back to Homeworld. May you continue to spread joy and laughter throughout the empire in Era-3, just as you did in Era-1.”

“Oh, um...thank you,” said Pink, sounding slightly taken-aback. “That means a lot, coming from someone of your...importance.”

“You’re most welcome,” Goshenite continued. “In the current crisis our empire is facing, it is most reassuring that you--”

“Thank you, Supreme General,” said Yellow Pearl, cutting her off.

“Indeed,” said Goshenite. “Er...Your Radiance, if I may ask, is it true that--”

“ _ Thank you, Supreme General _ !” said Yellow Pearl, sounding quite annoyed. “I will ask that you take your place now.”

Goshenite sighed. “Gladly.” She turned to her left to ascend a flight of stairs to a balcony above, accompanied by Pearl. “That went pretty well, I think.”

“As well as it could have,” said Pearl. “She didn’t seem angry or anything.”

The pair of them stood by the railing, overlooking the ballroom from above. Maxixe had entered next, and was bowing to Pink Diamond.

“A most beautiful twist of fate, your return,” she said. “Almost too good to be true.”

Pink pawed at her collar nervously. “Yyyyyyup, sure is a good thing!”

“Did you attend a lot of balls back during Era-1, Miss Goshenite?” asked Pearl.

“As many as were held,” Goshenite said. “Pink Diamond seemed to throw them for whatever reason: when she was happy, sad, excited, scared, bored… The other Diamonds always seemed so happy to attend.” Goshenite stared down at the floor with glassy eyes.”

“Miss Goshenite? Is something wrong?” asked Pearl. She didn’t respond.

Now it was Bixbite’s turn to introduce herself. She was in the middle of a jubilant rant. “...swear to swiftly bring devastation to any who would dare disrupt the tranquility of our humble planet, and to do anything in my power to…” Pink looked most uncomfortable.

“...No-one sings anymore,” Goshenite said.

“Pardon?” asked Pearl.

“Before Pink Diamond was shattered...or was believed to be, Homeworld was filled with music. But after the war ended, and the Interlopers attacked...well, you’ve lived here. You know.”

“I’m sorry,” Pearl said. “That sounds awful.”

Morganite’s turn. “...and had I been there, perhaps things would have turned out differently, but that’s neither here nor there. Regardless, it is  _ so _ wonderful to have you back, My Diamond! Everyone believed you to be dead for the longest time, but I always held onto the hope that…” Yellow Pearl was angrily gesturing at her to hurry it up.

“It is what it is,” Goshenite said. “But with Pink returned, and Project: Giganova on the horizon, maybe peace will return for Era-3.”

With the Council of Beryls present and accounted for, more and more Gems began to spill into the ballroom. One by one and two by two they greeted the returned Diamond, before grouping up with their fellow Gems. Goshenite decided it was time to do the same. She walked over to where the other Goshenites were grouped, only to notice that Pearl was still following her.

“Hmm?” What are you doing?” she asked.

“What am I doing? I...don’t rightly know, Miss Goshenite,” Pearl said.

Goshenite grinned slightly. “Oh, I forgot, you’ve never been to a ball before. It’s customary for Gems to group together with Gems of the same type. You see?” She pointed over the balcony down to the floor below. “Rubies with Rubies, Jades with Jades, and Pearls with Pearls.” On the far side of the upper level, a large gathering of Pearls stood.

“Oh. Yes, of course.” Pearl began walking over to join her fellows. “Enjoy the rest of the ball, Miss Goshenite.”

“You do as well. I’ll meet you again once it’s over.” Goshenite walked over to join up with the other Goshenites.

One of them looked up, greeting her with a wave. “Well, if it isn’t the SG herself! How have things been here in the homeland?”

“As good as they could be, I suppose,” she replied. “Er, Apex attacks notwithstanding…”

Meanwhile, Pearl stood among the other Pearls, looking rather out of place despite being one of them. They either stood or wandered in tightly-knit groups, none of them paying any attention to her.

As she looked around, she heard a voice that sounded somehow familiar to her. She followed it to its source, and heard a conversation taking place that stood out from the rest for one reason or another.

“...but that isn’t all I heard!” said another voice. Pearl traced it back to a silver-colored Pearl. “According to Pietersite’s Pearl, the whole thing was actually fake!”

“ _ No _ !” exclaimed another Pearl, this one mocha in color. “Is that true?”

“Absolutely it’s true!” said the silver Pearl. “Pearl said she overheard the two Spodumenes talking about it just after it happened!”

A third voice, the one Pearl recognized, scoffed. “Yeah, but when has Pearl ever been a reliable source of information? Remember when she said that the Xevellans were planning to invade? That didn’t go anywhere!” By sheer chance, the owner of this voice, a Pearl with a pitch-black gemstone and dark grey skin looked up to see Pearl. Her eyes instantly narrowed. “Oh, it’s  _ you _ . Taken to eavesdropping now?”

“Uh...no,” said Pearl. “I just got here. I was wondering--”

“No, we weren’t talking about you,” said the black Pearl. “As if you’d have anything interesting happen to you!” The other two Pearls tittered.

“Oh, um, actually I wondered if the others were here. “Have you seen them at all today?”

“No, nor do I want to,” said the black Pearl. “Now quit bothering us!”

“Pearl!” Pearl turned around at the voice. Three more Pearls hurried over, colored lime green, baby blue, and bright red. It was the green one who spoke. “I knew you’d be here!”

“Girls!” said Pearl, hugging the three of them as they arrived. “I’m glad to see you--I was getting lonely!”

“There, we found them. Now can you please beat it?” said the black Pearl.

The red Pearl shot her a glare. “As if we’d want to stay around you! Come on, Pearl.” The trio ushered her away to another corner of the room.

“So, how did your mission go?” asked the blue Pearl. “Did you fight that robot guy with the lasers again?”

“Actually, we did,” Pearl said. “We ran into him twice, if you can believe that.”

The green one was about to speak, but the red one cut her off. “Were you here for the Apex attack? Me and My Jade were offworld at the time, but I heard it was really scary!”

“Yeah, it was scary, especially up close,” Pearl said. Her gaze, however, was not on her friends, but on the other Pearls across the room. “Is it just me, or did she seem...snappier than usual?”

“What do you mean? She’s always like that,” said the green Pearl. “Best to just ignore her.”

“I know, but...it seemed like she wasn’t as...like, she just wanted to be left alone. Usually she teases me, but this time she just kept telling me to go away. Is something wrong?”

“Who cares?” said the blue Pearl, shrugging. “More importantly, what do you mean by ‘up close?’ Were you actually there? They didn’t almost step on you, did they?”

Pearl, however, was too busy focusing on her antagonist to answer. Her green friend put an arm on her shoulder. “Look, if something is wrong, then it’s her problem, not yours.”

“I guess…” said Pearl.

“There you go. Now come on, I think the Diamonds are about to show up!”

“Ooh, this is my favorite part!” said the red Pearl. She ran ahead to the edge of the balcony to get a good look as the other three followed. Sure enough, the room had gone quiet.

“Everyone, behold!” Exclaimed Yellow Pearl. “The daunting beauty and elegance that is...YELLOW DIAMOND!”

The curtains were drawn apart, revealing Yellow in all her glory. Pearl squinted at the bright light as she and the others watched. Up next was Blue, as her Pearl took the stage.

“Everyone prepare yourselves emotionally for the overwhelming elegance that is...Blue Diamond.”

The Diamond in question entered, filling the room with awe even without the use of her powers. Pearl, however, was most excited for what came next. She had never seen White Diamond in person before, and couldn’t wait for the opportunity.

The ballroom dipped into darkness, with spotlights revealing the form of White’s Pearl. “To those in attendance of the Era-3 ball, White Diamond...has more important things to attend to.” Pearl visibly deflated. “Therefore, I will be here to observe in her place. Welcome to Era-3!”

The Gems within all cheered, and the dancing began. Pearl slowly forgot her disappointment as her friends got her to join them. Meanwhile, Goshenite was watching the dancing from above.

“Something up?” another Goshenite asked her.

“No, not really,” she said. “I just can’t stop thinking about the Interlopers. What if they attack soon? We’ll be caught unprepared!”

The other Goshenite chuckled, lightly punching her on the shoulder. “Hey, with all of Homeworld’s warriors and leaders together in one place, they’d have to be crazy to attack us here!”

“I know,” Goshenite said. “That’s why I’m worried.”

“Well,  _ don’t _ be worried,” said her friend. “It’s the start of a new era, literally! Trust me, with as bad as it’s been, the only way Homeworld can go from here is up.”

As if on cue, gasps of horror emerged from the floor below. The music cut out, and everyone sat in a stunned silence. “You were saying?” said Goshenite. She joined the others at the edge of the balcony to see what the crisis was.

What Goshenite saw almost made her fall over the railing in shock. A tall figure wearing Pink Diamond’s uniform stood before her throne. Pink herself, as well as her organic, were nowhere to be seen. This could only mean one thing.

“White, Yellow and Blue,” Goshenite murmured in disbelief. “Is this really happening? Am I seeing things?”

Morganite, similarly horrified, approached to one side. “No, as much as I wish you were,” she said.

As Yellow and Blue stepped forward to accost this fusion, the situation somehow got even worse. A Ruby and a Sapphire, in perfect harmony, immediately ran to Pink’s defense, fusing into a Gem that Goshenite was certain she had seen before. Pink’s Pearl ran over to an overcooked Amethyst, pulling her over as well. Morganite had clasped her hands over her mouth.

“Only way is up, is that right?” Goshenite said.

“I...may have spoken a bit too soon,” said her friend.

The Pearl and Amethyst fused as well, into a large four-armed Gem. Making matters somehow even worse, a pair of Jades fused as well. Goshenite could only stare in growing horror, while her friend cringed.

“What happened to the sanctity of this establishment!?” Morganite exclaimed.

Before anyone else could react further, Yellow took matters into her own hands. Lightning bolts flew from her fingertips, reducing all of the fusions save for one to their component gemstones. Before Pink had time to protest, she grabbed the smaller Diamond, dragging her away before the speechless Gems as Blue followed.

Goshenite backed out of the crowd, working her way over to find Pearl. It was obvious that this party was over.

\- - -

_ Goshenite’s Residence _ .

“So…” said Pearl, breaking the awkward silence. “I take it nothing like that happened at any of Pink’s other balls?”

Goshenite massaged her brow as she headed over to the counter. “Not to that extent, no,” she answered. “Actually, there was that one time when she ‘accidentally’ released a number of small, crawling organics into the ballroom, but even that wasn’t as bad as this!” She produced a glowing cylinder from her secret compartment built into the counter.

“Is...is she at all like you remember her?” asked Pearl.

Goshenite stopped to consider. “She’s both very similar and very different,” she eventually decided upon. “She has always had her mischievous streak, but she’s never fused with an organic before, if that’s what you meant.”

“I didn’t think that was supposed to be possible,” said Pearl.

“Neither did I,” Goshenite muttered. “Era-3 is already proving to be full of surprises.” Walking over to the window, she activated a small holoscreen. She did a double-take when she noticed that someone had sent her three separate messages during the ball. “Speaking of which…”

She opened the unread messages. All three of them were from Heliodor, all three about the same thing. The Interlopers were closing in on the location of Project: Giganova. It wasn’t long before they narrowed it down, and the base on Mieren-VII was unprotected. She had asked Goshenite to come quickly, and bring as much firepower as she could.

Goshenite tossed the cylinder back onto the counter, hurrying to type out a message that she was on her way. “What’s wrong, Miss Goshenite?” asked Pearl.

“It’s Heliodor. Project: Giganova is in danger. I don’t know how long we’ve got.” Goshenite dismissed the holoscreen before heading for the door. Pearl followed behind. Goshenite, however, held out her hand. “No, Pearl. I need you to stay here. This could get dangerous.”

“The Gozyos system was dangerous,” Pearl said. “What makes this one so different?”

“I’ve got a feeling the Interlopers will be going all-out this time,” Goshenite said. “They’re getting desperate. And that makes them unpredictable.”

“Wait! What about how Teptromina was tracking you? Shouldn’t we at least ask Zoisite--”

“No time,” Goshenite said. “He’ll most likely be there already, it won’t matter anyway.” She opened the door to see the entire group standing there, consisting of Tanzanite, Onyx, Cairngorm, Nines, and Tenrit.

“Woah, Goshenite!” said Onyx. “What’re you--”

“Again, no time,” said Goshenite, pushing past them. “You and you, with me, all the rest stay here.” She pointed to Nines and Tenrit before hurrying towards the nearby docking bay.

“Um...sure thing!” said Tenrit, who followed her despite his confusion. Nines followed suit, leaving the others behind.

Onyx, Tanzanite, and Cairngorm headed inside. “What was that about?” asked Cairngorm.

“The Interlopers,” said Pearl. “They’re close to finding Mieren-VII.”

“That’s...probably not good,” said Onyx.

As Goshenite hurried towards her ship, she thought the same thing.


	21. Mieren-VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite arrives to protect Heliodor and Project: Giganova from the Interlopers.

Chapter Twenty-One: Mieren-VII

\- - -

“So,” said Cairngorm, looking around the room. “Let’s see: Pink Diamond’s back, she fused with her...thingy…”

“Human,” said Tanzanite.

“Right, her human, the Interlopers are close to finding this Giganova, Goshenite went off to try and stop them, and we’re stuck here.”

“I wouldn’t say ‘stuck,’” said Onyx. “There’s still the  _ Soul Evaporator _ . We could go to Mieren-VII if we wanted.”

“I would not recommend that,” said Tanzanite. “Goshenite specifically ordered us to stay here.”

“Not really,” Cairngorm said. “Sure, she  _ said _ ‘stay here,’ but is that really an order? You could argue it’s more of a suggestion.”

“I choose to interpret it as an order,” Tanzanite said. “Besides, we have caused enough trouble for the empire already. It is because of our actions that the Interlopers know of Mieren-VII’s importance.”

“They would’ve found it eventually!” said Onyx, almost defensively. “That scout we found, it was right in the same system, yeah? Obviously they had to have had their suspicions by that point.  _ Maybe _ we sped up the process, but that’s all!”

“It wasn’t your fault, it was mine,” said Cairngorm. “I was the one who brought you all down to Sublevel X.” A brief pause, as the four Gems sat in silence. “Pearl? Are you alright? You haven’t said anything since Goshenite left.”

Pearl had indeed been silent, staring contemplatively off into space. “Hmm? Oh, I’ve just been wondering...Goshenite said that Teptromina was somehow able to find her on Gozyos-IV, right? But she still doesn’t know how…”

“And you are worried that he will do so again,” said Tanzanite. “Unfortunately, without knowing the means he is using, there is nothing either we or she can do.”

“...No, I wouldn’t say that,” said Pearl, standing up. “Zoisite. From Gozyos, Goshenite said she had something. We could ask her.”

“She does?” said Onyx. “Well then, why didn’t she ask her before she left?”

“Because as soon as she got back, she had to deal with the Apexes, then us, and then Pink Diamond got back, had her ball, and then Heliodor called her away. She’s had kind of a busy week.”

“She might not be here to ask her, but we are,” said Pearl. She walked into the other room, where she knew Goshenite kept bubbled Gems. It was the same place they had found Cairngorm, and Emerald before that. “Let’s ask her ourselves.”

“Pearl, wait,” said Tanzanite, following after her. “This is ill-advised. Even if Zoisite is willing to share her information with us, there is no way for us to deliver it to Goshenite.”

“Sure there is.” Onyx put a hand on Tanzanite’s shoulder. “ _ Soul Evaporator _ , remember?”

“Ill-advised, remember?” retorted Tanzanite.

“Wait a minute...was that sarcasm?” said Onyx. “From  _ you _ ?”

“Of course not.”

The three followed Pearl into the bubble chamber. She already held the orb containing Zoisite’s gem in her hands. “Are you all ready?” she asked.

“I guess so,” said Cairngorm. “Let ‘er rip!”

Pearl burst the bubble. The yellow gemstone hovered higher into the air, glowing brightly. White light extended from the stone, forming into Zoisite’s body. For a few moments, the form shifted, changing into her current form. She descended to the ground, where color returned to her body. Then, she spoke.

“--see through Tenrit’s eyes! He is connected to the hive mind!” The other Gems leaned back, startled by her sudden outburst. Zoisite looked around, getting her bearings. “Ah...it seems I was destabilized. Where am I, exactly?”

“Goshenite’s place,” Onyx said. “...What was that you were yelling about just now?”

“Where is Goshenite?” Zoisite asked. “She needs to hear this.”

“She went to Mieren-VII,” said Pearl. “Long story. But she--”

“Is the Valurian with her!?” said Zoisite, suddenly sounding frantic. “Is Tenrit accompanying her!?”

“What? Yes,” Pearl said. “Yes, she took him along...”

“Then I fear she is in great danger,” Zoisite said. “Given what I have learned of the Valurian’s artificial body, I have determined that  _ he _ is how Teptromina has been tracking Goshenite.”

“W-what?” said Cairngorm, sounding worried. “How does that work?”

“You see, Interlopers operate on a kind of hive mind,” said Zoisite. “All information acquired by Interloper troops is funneled back to the Oculus. It can then be processed by Teptromina.”

“Yep, we’re familiar with  _ that _ little factoid,” said Onyx.

“So, wait, does that mean Tenrit’s an Interloper?” said Cairngorm.

“I will tell you what it means,” said Tanzanite. “It means that Project: Giganova is about to be exposed to the entire Interloper army. If they get to Mieren-VII before it can be deployed…”

“...Then it won’t just be Goshenite in danger,” said Pearl.

“Then we must leave to warn her immediately!” said Zoisite. “Quickly! Do we have a ship?”

“That we do!” said Onyx. “Quick, to the  _ Soul Evaporator _ !” Onyx took off running towards the dockyards where the ship was stationed. The others followed.

“How exactly does the Interloper hive mind have entry into Tenrit’s mind?” asked Tanzanite.

“I will explain everything during the journey,” said Zoisite. “But now, we must get to Mieren-VII before it is too late.”

\- - -

_ Hyperspace, en route to the Mieren System. _

The  _ Xenocide _ , accompanied by a small fleet of other Gem battleships, hurried towards Mieren-VII. There was no telling how close the Interlopers were at that moment, so time was of the essence.

“Is there a plan here, My Goshenite?” asked Topaz. “Or is it just ‘blow up any Interloper that gets close?’”

Goshenite looked up at her. “Topaz, as much as I would like to tell you we have a plan, I think it  _ is _ just ‘blow up any Interloper that gets close.’”

“I see,” said Topaz, nodding. “I can get behind that.”

“My Goshenite,” a Peridot eventually said, “we’ve almost arrived at Mieren-VII. Preparing to exit hyperspace now.”

“Good,” Goshenite said. “Keep formation tight. We can’t risk alerting the Interlopers to our presence.”

Goshenite’s fleet jumped out of hyperspace, the planet of Mieren-VII before them. An innocuous dwarf planet, it was blue in color, with a small ring of dust around the equator. A distress beacon could be detected down on the planet’s surface.

Once they had arrived, Goshenite contacted the other ships in the fleet. “All ships, Goshenite speaking. We are potentially preparing for a full-scale assault, so we’ll have to be ready. Stay in low orbit while I head to the surface.” All of the ships approached the planetoid, but only the  _ Xenocide _ traveled down towards the source of the beacon.

As the ship grew closer, a small Gem settlement came into view. A small scientific installation, it looked nowhere near large enough to develop a potentially war-ending superweapon. Nines even said as much. “It...doesn’t really look all that impressive.”

“Well, of course it doesn’t,” said Tenrit. “If a secret research installation looked like some cyclopean city, then the Interlopers would be all over it.”

“True, true…”

The  _ Xenocide _ touched down, and Goshenite, flanked by a battalion of Milky Quartzes, stepped out, likewise accompanied by Nines, Tenrit, and Topaz. Heliodor walked towards them, quite quickly.

“Goshenite! Thank the stars you got here when you did!” she said, frantic. “Our scanners detected the Interlopers searching this system--it’s only a matter of time before they get here!”

“Alright, calm down,” said Goshenite. “How long until this project of yours is finished?”

Heliodor took a moment to gather her bearings. “Technically speaking, Giganova’s already finished. We just need to--actually, here, I think I’d better show you.” She led the group through the facility towards a large building--at least, larger than the other buildings present, it was still on the smaller side.

“Would you three mind standing guard?” Goshenite asked.

“You got it,” said Topaz, as she, Tenrit, and Nines took a place just outside the door. Goshenite and Heliodor stepped inside. The doors slid shut behind them.

Goshenite realized that the building consisted of only a single round room. She looked around, confused, as the room was also completely empty. “What exactly is this for?”

“This,” said Heliodor. She input a code into a panel, and the walls of the room began to rotate, faster and faster. Suddenly, the whole room shot downwards like a bullet, speeding down an underground shaft. The giant elevator took the pair of them deeper and deeper into the planet.

Before long, the elevator began to slow down, eventually coming to a stop. The doors slid open once again, revealing the entryway to a much larger facility than the surface would have indicated. “This...how long has this been here?” asked Goshenite.

“Only these past few years,” said Heliodor. “Once we arrived, we began digging a series of tunnels in the planet’s underground, to better facilitate work on the project. Actually...I think it would be better if I just showed you.” She began walking down the corridor, gesturing for Goshenite to follow. She did so.

Heliodor led Goshenite into a larger chamber, in which a team of Peridots were stationed at several consoles. In the center of the room was a glowing sphere of energy, sealed behind glass. The sphere emitted a low hum as it seemed to spin in place, small sparks periodically discharging from the surface. A series of pylons surrounded the glass, glowing with a similar energy. A warp pad rested nearby, as a precaution.

Goshenite was quiet for a few seconds as she took it all in. “So,” she said, “this is Project: Giganova, then?”

“No,” Heliodor answered bluntly. “This? This is just the payload. You’re standing at the center of Project: Giganova itself now.”

Goshenite looked to her in disbelief. “What? You mean...this whole facility--”

“Not just this facility, this entire  _ planet _ ,” answered Heliodor. “I told you Project: Giganova was an explosive capable of destroying a star system, didn’t I? That’s what this is all about. In these years, we’ve been working tirelessly to convert Mieren-VII itself into a single gigantic bomb.”

“A bomb...the size of a planet…” said Goshenite. “It’s no wonder you wanted to keep this so secret.”

“Indeed,” said Heliodor. “As far as we’re aware, the Interlopers don’t know about Giganova’s true nature. All they know is that it’s a superweapon of some sort. I think we can use this to our advantage: once they attack, we’ll lead them away from the planet, try to make them think we’re transporting the weapon to somewhere else. Then, all that we’ll need to do is--”

“My Heliodor!” one of the Peridots said. “I’m detecting warp signatures in the area--the Interlopers are here!”

“Crack, not now!” Heliodor exclaimed. “Well, it looks like now’s your time! Hurry, go, go! I’ll stay here to maintain the core!”

Goshenite hurried back to the elevator, giving one last look towards Heliodor as the doors shut. “My Heliodor?” said the same Peridot, her voice hushed. “I’ve looked over these warp signatures. This...this doesn’t make sense...I’ve never seen a signature like this before!”

Heliodor walked over. “How so?” she asked, looking at the screen. Her eyes widened, and a chill ran through her form. “Stars above…”

\- - -

The elevator reached the surface, and Goshenite stepped out to see the Gems present in a panic. She looked around for a moment to find Topaz, hurrying over to her when she found her. “Topaz, what’s the status on the fleet?”

“Already on the move, My Goshenite,” said the red Gem. “But I don’t know how we’re gonna get out of this one!”

“Yeah, you’re telling me!” said Tenrit.

Goshenite looked to the skies. Hundreds, possibly thousands of Interloper battleships were approaching, with more jumping out of hyperspace. They were outnumbered, outgunned, and most likely out of luck. “We’ll get out of this the same way we always have,” she said. “We’re fighting to defend our home, our empire, out people. We won’t let them take…”

As she looked to the others, Goshenite trailed off, as all three of them were staring at the skies in horror. She followed their gaze, which landed on the next planet in the system, Mieren-VI, against which the invading armada was silhouetted. But it wasn’t the planet itself that terrified them. A dark shape had begun to emerge from behind it, almost as large as it was. The surface of this titanic object could be seen as dark and metallic, and a bright crimson light glared from the center.

The Oculus. The Interlopers’ last resort. Like a terrible eye, the planet-sized station loomed over the surface of Mieren-VII, and all those who stood on it.

Goshenite could barely find the words, only able to whisper a brief sentence. “Diamonds help us…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's all kicking off!


	22. Worlds Colliding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Oculus (literally) right on the horizon, Goshenite has to come up with a plan before the planet is torn apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while, hasn't it? But I'm back, and (hopefully) better than ever!

Chapter Twenty-Two: Worlds Colliding

\- - -

Topaz shook the white Beryl, who had gone still as a statue. “Goshenite? My Goshenite!?” Her voice only came through as a whisper. Goshenite was transfixed by the object that hung above them all. She soon regained her bearings, however, blinking as she exited her trance. “What do we do now?”

“I…” Goshenite considered their options: it was either fight or run, and neither looked particularly likely to succeed.  _ Come on, think! There had to be something they could do! What would Emerald do? _ “We need to...get to safety. No, we--we should…” She trailed off.

Nines stared up at the Oculus as well, equally worried, though her focus soon shifted to a much more immediate threat. “Those battleships are gettin’ pretty close, Goshie!” she said. “Might want to make a decision soon!”

Okay. She could work with this. She could manage this crisis, she just had to break it down into smaller, manageable chunks. The first of which was dealing with the first wave. “Our top priority is keeping Project: Giganova out of their hands,” said Goshenite. “The base’s shields should hold for the time being, so the Interlopers will most likely send in ground teams. Don’t let them reach the core.”

Tenrit glanced up at the planet-sized space station, silhouetted against the nearest planet. “But what about the--”

“We’ll deal with that when it comes to it,” Goshenite decided. “Right now, we have to manage what we can. Understood?”

“Understood!” said Topaz. Nines and Tenrit answered in the affirmative as well.

“Good. I’ll oversee our defense efforts from the control center. Keep them out of the main facility, and wait for further orders.” As the other three hurried off to the edge of the base, where Interloper dropships were beginning to converge, Goshenite herself hurried to the control center.

What little defenses the station had were in full swing. Cannons that looked straight out of Era-1 fired at the Interloper ships, who fired back, the shields holding strong for now. Gen cruisers took to the skies to engage them in space. Goshenite was sure they wouldn’t last long. She soon reached the center, ducking in through the door.

Inside was a small skeleton crew of a few Peridots, plus one Nephrite. The whole lot of them looked terrified, justifiably so, but still attended to their duties. They rushed back and forth between various screens, managing the massive inflow of data that came with the invasion. “You, Peridot, give me the latest,” Goshenite said to the nearest one.

“It isn’t looking good, Your Radiance!” said the Peridot, with barely-restrained panic. “The Interlopers are pulling out all the stops--there’s no way we can survive against this kind of assault!”

Goshenite worked her way over, examining the screen. They were massively outnumbered, massively outgunned, completely out of time--but when were they not? They had survived at Alpus Beta. They had survived at Gozyos-IV. They would survive here. “Connect me to Heliodor.”

“Over here, Your Radiance!” said another Peridot. Goshenite hurried over as Heliodor appeared on the screen.

“Goshenite? What’s going on up there?” Heliodor looked shaken, but not quite as panicked as the Gems above ground yet. “Our sensors are flooded with Interloper signatures, including…”

“The Oculus, yes, I noticed,” Goshenite said. “That thing’s hard to miss. Listen, are there any sort of evacuation procedures in place here?”

“No! That’s the entire reason I called you here!” said Heliodor. “Something like this was never supposed to even happen in the first place! This project was placed on a planet like Mieren-VII for a reason.”

“And what about the weapon?” Goshenite asked.

“What about it? Remember, the planet  _ is _ the weapon, so it isn’t like we can just move it! If we don’t come up with something fast, that thing’s going to tear this planet apart and rip out the core like it’s nothing!”

And that was when it hit her.

“Heliodor…” said Goshenite, her dawning epiphany clear on her face. “This is exactly what Project: Giganova was made for, right? An explosive capable of destroying the Oculus.”

Heliodor came to the same conclusion that Goshenite had, and was much less willing. “And us along with it!” she exclaimed. “Originally, there was supposed to be a way for us to escape before setting it off. There’s no way we can do that now! If we activate it and leave, they’ll just stop it, and if we activate it and stay, we’ll be vaporized!”

Goshenite looked up to the sky, dotted with almost as many Interloper ships as there were stars. Not to mention their mothership, which was growing closer by the minute. “The way things are going, we might be vaporized either way,” she said solemnly. “This might be the only way.”

For a moment, Heliodor said nothing. She closed her eyes, seeming to ponder the situation. She looked up at the Giganova core just out of the screen’s view. “Taking them with us, huh?” she said quietly.

“Don’t give up just yet,” Goshenite said. “There might be another way out. But if it comes to that...at least we can shatter protecting Homeworld.

Heliodor nodded. “Not just protecting Homeworld,” she said. “Ending this war. For good.”

In spite of their situation, Goshenite cracked a tiny smile. “Couldn’t have asked for a better way to go.”

“Yeah,” Heliodor replied. “Me, too.” She walked offscreen for a moment, speaking to the technicians down there with her. When she returned, she had a steely, determined look in her eyes, tempering her sad expression. “We’re beginning the activation process now. Once it’s armed, we’ll have about thirty minutes until detonation.”

“Is there any way they can stop it?” Goshenite inquired.

“Once the core reaches critical mass--about when there’s five minutes left--it’s locked in.”

“So we keep them busy until then,” Goshenite said.

“That we do,” said Heliodor. “Oh, I should mention: the elevator up there’s the only way down to the core, aside from the warp pad. Aside from, you know, physically tearing the planet apart. But we shouldn’t have to worry about that until the Oculus gets here.”

“Right.” Up in the sky, Goshenite’s armada was fighting a losing battle against the Interlopers. Although they were fighting as hard as they could, the machines were slowly gaining ground through sheer numbers. On the ground, the Interlopers were attempting to break through the shield. Ground troops held them at bay, for now. “So... _ Adamantem in Eternum? _ ”

“ _ Adamantem in Eternum _ ,” said Heliodor, her voice breaking despite her smile. The screen went dark.

So, this was it. Goshenite stepped to the front of the room, steeling herself. One last battle. One final service to Homeworld. Seven million years of service, all leading up to this moment. She reached for her gemstone, preparing to draw her weapon one final time…

“Um...G-Goshenite?” a Peridot said nervously. “Someone’s sending a transmission. Should I…”

Goshenite turned around, curious and confused. “A transmission? From who?”

“I-it looks like it’s coming from a ship called the  _ Soul Evaporator _ ,” said the Peridot.

At this, Goshenite hurried over. “Yes, yes, answer it!” Startled, the Peridot did so, the familiar faces of Onyx and Pearl appearing on the screen.

“...wonder if she’ll--Oh, hey, there she is!” said Onyx. “Goshenite! You look like you could use some help!”

“What are you all doing here?” Goshenite asked. She knew the answer, of course, but was still surprised to see them. Especially now that they had decided to blow up the planet.

“We’re here to help, of course!” said Pearl.

“The Interlopers aren’t making this easy for us, as usual,” said Onyx. “If you ask me, we should load that Giganova or whatever on the  _ Soul _ and head for somewhere safer!”

“That’s not--No, look, you can’t be here right now!” said Goshenite. “Turn around and head to safety--we’re going to detonate Giganova!”

“You’re  _ what _ !?” exclaimed Pearl. “B-but you’ll get blown up too!”

“Maybe not, not if you can help us,” Goshenite said.

Onyx was about to say something, only for Zoisite to push her way up to the screen. “Supreme General! I have urgent news that I must deliver! Is Tenrit anywhere nearby?”

“The Valurian? No, he’s fighting at the front with Citrine,” said Goshenite. “I can have someone relay it to him if you--”

“No, no, they cannot know!” said Zoisite. Seeing the confusion on Goshenite’s face, she continued, “Tenrit’s mechanical body was made with Interloper technology--and all information collected by Interloper units is relayed back to Teptronima. Do you see? That is how he was able to find you repeatedly! He can see through Tenrit’s eyes!”

Goshenite faltered, surprised by the nature of this news. “Through...his eyes…?” she said. “So this whole time, whenever I’ve been speaking with Tenrit…”

“Yes. He has been watching you,” Zoisite said. “And I suspect that he can determine Tenrit’s location as well.”

“...So we led him right to us,” Goshenite said quietly. She shook her head. “But none of that matters now. Bringing the Oculus here was his last mistake. Without even meaning to, we led him right into a trap.” She grinned. Maybe this wouldn’t be her last battle after all. “Alright, you all want to help? Keep them away from the elevator. We have twenty minutes until the core goes critical, so let’s give them all that we have!”

“Alright! You can count on us!” said Onyx. “You heard the lady, let’s get down there!” The screen turned off just as she and Pearl headed towards the ship’s warp pad. Goshenite headed out as well, stopping just before she left the control center.

“Relay this message to all of the ships: turn and retreat in exactly twenty minutes,” she said. “Keep fighting until then.” The Peridots saluted, and she ran towards the front lines.

As the battle raged above them, hundreds of Interlopers surrounded the base, only barely held at bay by the force field. The husks of several battleships, from both sides, were scattered around in the wastes beyond. Goshenite hurried to the edge of the force field where Topaz, Nines, and Tenrit had gone. Hopefully, the latter hadn’t heard of their plans yet. She reached back to draw her weapon.

“Is this really the best defense you could muster?”

Goshenite stopped. She knew exactly who that was. She had hoped he wouldn’t have come, given that he brought the Oculus--she figured he wouldn’t feel the need. And yet, here he was.

She looked up to see Primax Teptromina hovering above her. Wing spread, like some dark, metal angel. His single red eye glared down at her, matching the one on the Oculus near-exactly.

“For the location of your war-ending superweapon, this planet is surprisingly vulnerable,” he said, floating down closer. “Surely, you weren’t counting on secrecy alone to protect you?”

“Funny you should mention that.” Goshenite drew her staff from her gem, twirling it above her head before planting it into the ground. “Protecting this weapon is exactly why I’m here.”

Teptromina scoffed. “Have you seen what you’re up against?” He spread his arms, the extent of his armies behind him. “Not even the Diamonds’ might could save you now.”

“Luckily for me, I don’t need saving.” Goshenite pointed the end of her staff at her foe. “Even if I die here, you’re dying with me.”

Suddenly, Teptromina dropped from the sky, slamming into the ground hard enough to create a sizable dent. It was now that Goshenite realized that he was a good deal bigger than he had been the previous three times. As he rose to his full height, her head barely reached his shoulders. Goshenite was surprised, but not worried.

“You should know by now,” he said. “I will  _ never _ die.”

All six of his wings fired a beam at once, converging on Goshenite. She spun her staff in front of her, blocking the attack. Stopping the beams, Teptromina lunged, knocking her into a nearby wall before she had time to dodge.

Goshenite ducked to the side at the last moment, Teptromina’s fist burying itself in the wall where her head had been. She stabbed upwards, but he deflected with one of his wings. He grabbed her by the neck, flew up into the air, and slammed her down into the ground.

“What do you hope to accomplish?” he asked, the mocking clear in his tone. “Even if you could fight back, my armies would decimate every last one of your Gems to get to the weapon.Your victory here is simply not possible.”

Goshenite’s body began to glow. She let loose a flash of light, stunning Teptromina just long enough for her to stand up and deliver a powerful blow. Although he staggered back, only a small scratch was left on his armor.

“You expect your troops to fight to the last for you, I assume,” said Goshenite. “Why do you act so surprised when we do?”

Teptromina ran a hand down the scratch on his chest. “My soldiers fight because they know nothing else,” he said. “You Gems fight for some misguided sense of loyalty.” He shook his head. “The Diamonds aren’t your masters. They never were. They were merely proxies for your  _ true _ masters.”

“And you Interlopers are these ‘true masters?’” said Goshenite.

“‘Interlopers,’” Teptromina said with a growl. “You truly could not have chosen a more dismissive name for us.” He lunged again, but Goshenite was ready this time. She stepped to the side, striking him with her staff. He struck her as well, but she rolled behind him. She stabbed upwards again, but he leapt back. “Your defenses will fall, your planet will die, and you will all bow to the Koh’i’Noor once again!”

“Homeworld will never bow; not to you, not to anyone!” shouted Goshenite. “We will fight until there are none of us left! This war will not end until every last Gem is destroyed, and Homeworld itself is dust--” Goshenite had planned to go on, but something caught her eye. The rubble created from their battle had begun floating. Tiny chunks of concrete rose up into the air, pulled by some invisible force. She looked around, noticing that dust all around them was doing the same.

Teptromina radiated triumph, knowing exactly what was happening. “You wish to be destroyed, hmm? I suppose that can be arranged.” He looked skyward.

Goshenite looked up as well, and saw, to her horror, the Oculus. It was practically in Mieren-VII’s orbit now, its gravity pulling up the debris. But it had more than sheer size behind its assault. Three streaks of black ran from the eye down the length of the artificial planet. Looking closer, Goshenite realised that the streaks were gigantic panels opening.

Three panels, three shapes emerging. What appeared to be giant mechanical arms appeared, extending from the Oculus like dark rays from a metal sun. Each was tipped with a claw, large enough to grab a small moon. They reached down towards the planet.

“So you see, Supreme General?” said Teptromina. “There is no hope for you. Your world will fail. And Gems will belong to the Koh’i’Noor again, or be ground to dust. Starting with you.”

Although gripped with fear, Goshenite held tightly to her weapon. She looked away from this planet’s impending doom, and she stared directly into Teptromina’s eye. “Go ahead, then,” she said. “Start with me.”

Teptromina rose up. “Gladly!”

And they charged.


	23. Giganova

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goshenite is pushed to her limit as she and the others try to keep the Interlopers from destroying Project: Giganova.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Giganova

\- - -

The skies above Mieren-VII lit up with hundreds of explosions as warships from either side tore each other apart. Even though the Gems boasted superior tech, the Interlopers had their defenses outnumbered ten to one. Not to mention, the Oculus hovered above the planet, its three metallic arms reaching down to crack the world open in order to manually extract the weapon. As gradual as it was, the Gems were fighting a losing battle, and they knew it.

From the bridge of the  _ Soul Evaporator _ , Tanzanite had contacted Heliodor to ask about what Goshenite had said. “Is it true that...that you are planning to detonate Project: Giganova?” she asked.

Heliodor nodded. “Goshenite and I decided it was the only option. This is our only chance to use the weapon, because the Oculus will destroy it otherwise.”

Zoisite appeared behind Tanzanite. “And you are committed to this, despite the fact that you will destroy yourselves as well?”

“If it comes to that, yes,” Heliodor said nervously. “There might be some time to evacuate, though. There’s just under twenty minutes until the payload goes critical. If we can hold the Interlopers off until then, we might have some time to escape.”

“But until then, we fight. Understood,” said Tanzanite. “We will do all that we can.”

“I hope we all do,” said Heliodor. “Diamondspeed to you all.” The video feed cut out, leaving the bridge in silence once again.

Tanzanite scanned the skies before them, filled with flaming wreckage, and ships that were soon to become the same. She stepped up to the communicator, sending out a message to all Gem vessels in the battle. “All ships, this is Tanzanite Facet YR9 Cut G88, current acting commander of the  _ Soul Evaporator _ . I am relaying a message from the Science Minister and Supreme General: Project: Giganova has been activated. In less than twenty minutes, Mieren-VII will detonate, destroying everything within a three kiloklik range. Continue to halt the Interlopers’ advance, but standby for orders to retreat to a safe distance.  _ Adamantem in Eternum _ .” She ended the communication.

“Now, do we join the fight?” asked Zoisite.

Nodding, Tanzanite stepped forward to address the bridge crew. “Begin charging the Decimator. Full speed ahead into battle.”

\- - -

Goshenite sent her staff flying towards Teptromina like a javelin, narrowly missing his eye. Hovering out of her reach, he fired a cluster of beams down towards her. Goshenite dodged and weaved through the crimson streams of energy, running up and along the side of a wall to reach him. Her newly-drawn staff collided with Teptromina’s middle, knocking him out of the air.

Landing back on the ground, both combatants got to their feet, facing off against the other. Goshenite saw that despite her efforts, Teptromina was still undamaged, aside from a few scratches. Goshenite herself was looking a bit ragged, but was still in fighting shape. “It won’t be long now,” said the machine. “Soon, I will tear this planet apart, piece by piece, and claim your weapon for myself. Your fighting will accomplish nothing--I hope you realize that.”

Goshenite prepared to throw her staff again. “I’d like to think otherwise.” She hurled it towards Teptromina, and it pierced through his shoulder as he staggered backwards. “Call me an optimist.”

“I’ll call you dust!” yelled Teptromina, tearing out the staff. He flung it at Goshenite, but she un-summoned it before it reached her. All six of his wings pointed towards her, each one firing a beam. Goshenite dove to the side, sprinting towards her enemy. She leapt into the air as she prepared another staff, preparing to bring it down on him.

Teptromina caught Goshenite by the wrist, lifting her into the air. She tore at his hand, but before she could escape, he slammed her into the ground hard enough to crack the foundation. Before she could struggle to her feet, he planted a foot on her back, forcing her back down to the ground.

He stared down at her with disdain. “I hope you realize that you mean nothing to me. All the centuries I have led the Koh’i’Noor, all the countless Gems I have seen shattered...you are just one of many. In spite of your status, your notoriety among your kind, you are just another stepping stone on my path to reclaim what is mine.” He raised his arm towards her gemstone, and it began to glow red. Goshenite was too exhausted to fight back.

Just before Teptromina’s beam could fire, he was thrown aside by a massive impact. Goshenite looked up to see Onyx standing over her, her hammer slung over her shoulder. “Looks like we got here just in time, eh?”

“Miss Goshenite! Are you alright?” Pearl hurried over to the fallen Gem, offering her hand.

“Better now,” she said, as Pearl helped her up. “What’s the situation?”

“Not great,” groaned Onyx. “The troops are holding off the Interlopers as best they can, but more of ‘em just keep coming!”

“I expected as much,” Goshenite said. “We just need to hold them off a bit longer, and then you can escape.”

“Right,” Pearl said. “Wait, ‘we?’ What about you?”

“Well, well, well!” Before Goshenite could reply, Teptromina returned, hovering above the three of them. “Lucky you! Your posse arrived to save the day!” He touched down, glaring at the trio as all of his weapons began to ignite. “A one-time occurrence, I assure you.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Goshenite drew her staff again, and Teptromina fired. She quickly spun the weapon in front of her, where it acted as a shield, blocking the lasers. “Now, go!” Onyx charged, while Pearl summoned her blaster and fired some shots his way. Although the shots were enough to distract him, he still dodged Onyx’s hammer strike. He followed up with another beam attack, pushing her back.

Goshenite charged, drawing a second staff. She threw one at Teptromina, which he deflected with one of his wings. She leapt into the air, bringing her weapon down on him. When it hit its mark, she followed up with several more strikes. Teptromina staggered backwards against the thrashing, until Goshenite had pinned him up against a wall.

Goshenite then thrust the edge of her staff forward; Teptromina caught it moments before it could pierce into his optic. Their eyes met: both stared with fury at each other, but Goshenite’s gaze was filled with steel. The two of them struggled, pushing against the other as they tried to force the staff away. Teptromina had lifted off the ground, and not of his own power. The wall behind him began to crack as Goshenite forced her staff forward with all her strength.

All of a sudden, the ground beneath them shook. Goshenite stumbled, and was distracted just enough for Teptromina to free himself. He shoved Goshenite to the ground, flying up to stare down at the Gems beneath him.

So great was the quake that the barrier protecting the facility was momentarily disabled. It flickered for only a mere moment, but it was enough that several Interlopers were able to make their way inside. Ignoring the guards, they made their way over to their master.

“What the void was  _ that _ !?” asked Onyx, bracing herself on her hammer. “Feels like the whole planet’s being...torn apart…” her face went grave as she realized that was  _ exactly _ what was happening.

The Oculus’ arms had reached Mieren-VII’s surface. Massive metal claws, each one the size of a small country, dug deep into the crust, creating giant crevasses hundreds of miles across, and just as deep. When it had established its grip, it began to pull the world itself apart at the seams. Rocks and debris were pulled into the massive station’s orbit as they were dislodged from the ground.

“Has it finally sunk in yet?” asked Teptromina. “There is no force in your entire arsenal that can stop the Oculus now.” Interlopers began to appear behind him, standing off against the trio of Gems. “You can fight as much as you want, but at the end of it all, we will emerge the victors. We always do.”

While Teptromina was giving his speech, Goshenite ducked behind the others to contact Heliodor. “Heliodor, how much longer do we have?” she asked.

“For Giganova to be ready? Less than ten minutes,” she replied. “For the Oculus to crack this planet open like a geode? Maybe less than that. We might have to just cut our losses.”

“We can’t afford to,” Goshenite said. “Without Giganova, the Interlopers will eat us alive. If we stop now--”

“If we  _ don’t _ stop now, we’re all cracked!” shouted Heliodor. “I don’t know about you, but I’m calling it now! Stay and fight if you want, but I’m getting out while I still can!” The feed cut out.

“Heliodor? Heliodor!?” No response--she was gone. “Damn.” Goshenite turned back to face Teptromina. His force had been bolstered with a large force of Interlopers, bearing down on the trio.

“So, we’ve got the Primax himself, an absolute shardload of battleships and just as many if not more troops headed our way, and another planet’s tearing ours up,” said Onyx. She sighed, holding up her hammer, a jet of flame shooting from the afterburner. “I don’t know about you guys, but today feels like a good day to die.”

“Agreed.” Goshenite prepared her staff as the Interlopers prepared to charge.

“Hold on,” said Pearl, stepping forward. “Maybe it doesn’t have to come to that.”

Pearl reached for her gem, which began to glow. A bubble materialized in her hands, containing a familiar green gemstone. She set it free, causing a glowing light to appear--this light shaped into a form familiar to Goshenite, before it was warped into a much larger shape. Emerald’s form, monstrous and imposing, stood before them, looking down towards Pearl.

“Okay, My Emerald,” Pearl said. “Time to show them who we are.”

\- - -

Tanzanite could only stare, mortified, as the Oculus bore down on Mieren-VII. Even at this distance, she had never seen destruction of this scale, and it would only get worse. With its metal arms, the Interloper stronghold was tearing through the planet to get to the core. All she knew was that she couldn’t allow that to happen. She steeled herself. “Identify weak points.”

“On...on that thing!?” asked a Peridot. “Tanzanite, we don’t have a chance!”

“We will only not have a chance if we do not halt the Oculus’ attack,” she said. “Scan for any vulnerabilities.”

The Peridot did so. “Scans show that the armor is thinnest at the joints,” she reported. “Destroying the servo located at the elbows should completely inhibit the arms’ abilities.”

“Understood,” said Tanzanite. “Divert course for this weak point. Paint the target and order other ships to follow. We will need to focus all firepower there.”

The  _ Soul Evaporator _ diverted its course, heading towards the elbow joint of one of the Oculus’ arms. Tanzanite sent out a message to other nearby ships, informing them of this weakness. Soon, a small fleet had converged, following behind them. The Interlopers had evidently sensed that an attack was imminent, as another fleet arrived to block the Gems’ advance.

“Tanzanite, should we fire the Decimator?” asked a Nephrite.

“We cannot afford to,” said Tanzanite. “We require it to destroy the weak point. It will not charge up in time if it is fired now.”

Both fleets engaged as thousands of blasts filled the space between them. Several Gem vessels, including the  _ Soul _ , took evasive maneuvers. Several more were beset by the Interlopers, and torn apart by their weapons. An Interloper dreadnought, seeming to recognize Emerald’s flagship, headed straight for it, sending a battalion of fighters its way.

“We will never break through their defenses at this rate,” said Zoisite. “Do we have any other weapons?”

“Of a sort,” said Tanzanite. “Scramble all fighters!”

Before the Interlopers could reach the  _ Soul _ , the Gem ship released fighters of its own. The ships flew to meet their opponents, clashing as they met. The fighters that avoided this wave raced towards the dreadnought, dodging and weaving through its volleys of shots as they returned fire.

Zoisite stared through the glass, a hint of impatience beneath her stoic exterior. “Our approach is too disorganized,” she said. “We need something else, a focal point to draw or forces.”

“What did you have in mind?” asked Tanzanite.

Zoisite’s gaze fell on the captain’s chair. “Emerald had a starfighter of her own, did she not?”

\- - -

Emerald’s jaws clamped down on a Predator, crushing it to scrap. Several Scavengers opened fire on her, which was only enough to irritate her. She ran towards them, Pearl close behind, her blaster firing at any Interloper that Emerald happened to miss.

Teptromina fired beam after beam at Onyx, who managed to shrug most of them off. Her hammer swung wildly in his direction, but he proved too agile to catch. A Raptor hovered behind her, preparing to fire, only for Goshenite to spear it through with a thrown staff. “Nice one!” she said.

“Focus,” Goshenite said. “We can’t let any of them near the--” She stopped herself before she could reveal the location of the entrance. “Keep fighting!”

“Ha, what’s it look like I’m doing?” said Onyx. She smashed a couple of Scavengers apart with her hammer, before turning her attention to a trio of Raptors firing on her allies from above. “Oh, no you don’t!” She ran off, leaving Goshenite to deal with Teptromina.

“Three Gems or three hundred, it makes no difference,” said the Interlopers’ master. “You can’t stop that which must be.”

“Neither can you.” Goshenite swung her weapon, only to find it deflected by Teptromina’s arm. He grabbed her by the throat with the other, lifting her into the air, and hurling her a short distance away. Goshenite crashed to the ground, and rolled to a stop. Before she could get back up, Teptromina rose above her. His body shifted, becoming the same cannon shape it had taken back on Gozyos-IV. All nine of his beams began charging up, preparing to fire on Goshenite.

With a terrible droning noise, Teptromina let loose his attack. The crimson beam streaked through towards the Beryl, who braced for impact. But it never hit. A large shape threw itself in front of her, taking the brunt of the impact. She looked up at the familiar red figure.

“Topaz!” she shouted, scrambling to her feet. Despite taking the beam head-on, Topaz was still standing, but was looking quite worse for wear. She had been forced down on one knee, and smoke was rising from her chest.

“Don’t worry about me, My Goshenite!” she groaned, struggling to stand. She turned to glare at Teptromina. “Worry on him!”

Teptromina hovered lower to the ground. “How noble,” he growled. “But when you throw yourselves in front of my attacks, all you’re doing is accelerating your demise. Now, how many of you are there? Just two?”

“There’s a lot more than that!” Everyone turned towards the shout. Nines stood behind Teptromina, blaster leveled at him. Tenrit stood just beside her, clutching one of her khopesh. Onyx leapt down from a rooftop, raising her hammer. Emerald rounded a corner and growled, Pearl holding her blaster beside her.

Teptromina looked around at the fighters that surrounded him. “Hmm. There  _ are _ more,” he said. “But not enough.” He began charging up his beams. “Why don’t we thin those numbers?”

“Everyone! Go!” shouted Goshenite, pointing her staff forward. All of them ran at the Interloper. Tenrit was the first to reach him, swinging with his blade, which was dodged. Before Teptromina could attack him, Nines unleashed a barrage. He held up his arm to block, which was when he was hit by Onyx’s hammer.

Stopping himself in midair, Teptromina got his bearings. “Nnngh! Do something!” He thrust his hand forward, and a small army of Interlopers rushed at the defenders. As they charged in turn, Goshenite thought she saw a brief flicker of a brownish-orange gemstone, but it was soon gone.

Topaz summoned her flail, bashing aside a handful of Scavengers. Under a barrage of blasts, Goshenite sprinted through the opening and speared a Predator through the chest. The ground continued to shake beneath them as the planet came apart. Goshenite’s eyes scanned for Pearl, relieved to find her safe next to Nines. Teptromina hovered a good distance away, watching the battle from above.

The battle momentarily turned in the Interlopers’ favor as a Carnivore appeared, breaking a pair of buildings apart to fit between them. “Hey, Goshenite, we’ve got company!” said Tenrit.

“I see it!” Goshenite said. “Where’s your ship? We could use some air support right about now?”

“Tanzanite’s a bit busy,” said Onyx. She spun around, sending her hammer flying at the Carnivore. All it did was harmlessly bounce off one of its legs. “This, uh, might be bad.”

As Goshenite watched the giant Interloper approach, she felt a nudge at her side. She turned, and was surprised to see Emerald standing there, looking at her. “Emerald?” she asked, wondering if the Gem could still understand her.

And then, looking into her eyes, Goshenite saw a glint of the same Gem she had known all this time. Corrupted or not, Emerald was still Emerald, willing to fight to the last for her home. Just like her.

Goshenite nodded. “Let’s go.” She ran forward, Emerald at her side. Claws and teeth accompanied staff as the two made short work of any Interloper in their way. The Carnivore noticed their approach, and fired two shots in their direction. Emerald grabbed Goshenite in her mouth, leaping up to a rooftop as the ground beneath them exploded.

Emerald tossed Goshenite into the air, catching her on her back. The white Gem held onto her mane as she hurled herself at the Carnivore. Goshenite threw her staff, which pierced itself into one of its eyes; distracting it enough for Emerald to latch onto its form.

As the Carnivore struggled to shake them off, a scarlet beam cut through the air, just missing them. Goshenite looked up to see that Teptromina was nearby, firing at the pair. “Emerald!” she said. “Throw me!”

Emerald climbed from her spot on the Carnivore’s front, rounding its shoulder as Goshenite slid down her form. She gripped onto the spines at the tip of her tail. Using the momentum as she swung back around, Emerald whipped her tail towards Teptromina, sending not only a flurry of spines, but Goshenite flying at him.

A few of the spines pierced through Teptromina’s armor, which was the least of his problems as Goshenite rammed into him, sending the both of them to the ground. Goshenite drew her staff, raising it above her head to spear into her foe. Before she could, Teptromina let loose with a beam from his eye, striking her in the chest and throwing her off of him.

Teptromina got back up, as did Goshenite. “You are far more difficult to kill than I had anticipated, I’ll give you that,” he said, charging up his beams. “But you can only hold on so much longer. Once your body gives out, you’ll be helpless.”

Once he brought that up, Goshenite realized that she was beginning to reach her limit. Cuts ran all across her form, light pouring from each. One of these was almost all the way through her left leg, making it painful to stand. Still, she held tightly to her staff, raising it at Teptromina.

“Though I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Supreme General: second in authority only to the Diamonds themselves. Perhaps you are more than just a simple--”

He was cut off when something--the head of the Carnivore--landed between them, rolling over to beside a building. Teptromina looked over in the direction it had come from, only to be snatched up in Emerald’s jaws. Metal tore and energy sparked as she gnashed her fangs, attempting to crush him for good. She shook him for good measure, throwing him up against a wall, where he crumpled in a heap.

Pearl hurried over. “My Emerald, you did it!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around one of her forelegs.

“I wouldn’t celebrate just yet,” said Goshenite, readying her staff. Indeed, Teptromina wasn’t ready to give up the ghost. Despite the heavy damage he had sustained, he rose once again, sparks flying from his wounds. Emerald lowered her head and growled as he readied his weapons.

“This...grows tiresome,” he said with barely-restrained rage. He staggered forward a few steps before rising into the air. All of his wings spread out, glowing. “You will not win. You  _ cannot _ win! Even if you destroy this body, my Oculus will render your victory meaningless!”

“Hey, a meaningless victory is still better than no victory at all!” said Onyx. “It shows Gems that we  _ can _ beat the Interlopers. If we do it this time, we can do it again!” She raised her hammer. “So let’s show ‘em!”

Teptromina unleashed nine beams in all directions, sweeping across the battlefield. Goshenite ducked under and leapt over the attacks as she made her way over to him, halting his beams with a strike from her staff. The Interloper fell to the ground, where he threw a punch at her. Goshenite dodged, and Emerald blasted him with a lightning strike. He turned towards the corrupted Gem, preparing to unleash a barrage, only to be blindsided by Topaz’s flail.

His already-flayed patience wearing thin, Teptromina began firing his beams at random, aiming for anything that moved when he was aiming at all. A few of his troops were destroyed by his fury. Onyx tried to get closer to him, but was pushed back by the assault. Tenrit, being smaller, rushed through the openings towards him.

Teptromina seemed to sense Tenrit getting closer, and turned to fire at him. Before he could, both Pearl and Nines opened fire, momentarily disorienting him. Tenrit delivered a slash to his midsection, rushing away before he could retaliate. Emerald charged, as did Goshenite, Topaz, and Onyx, aiming to finish the fight.

“ENOUGH!” Teptromina’s fists crackled with blood-red energy as he raised them above his head, before bringing them to the ground. The impact created a shockwave that threw the charging Gems away, demolished the walls of the nearby buildings, and formed a large crater underneath Teptromina. It did seem to take a bit of energy to perform, as he remained still after releasing the wave.

Goshenite struggled to her feet; she couldn’t take much more of this, and she knew it. She staggered towards Teptromina’s still form, hoping to finish him off before he recovered. Before she reached him, a buzz of static from her communicator alerted her to an incoming message. She brought a hand to her ear. “What? What is it?”

“...enite...anov...read...to...out of…”

She tapped on it a few times. “Hello? Hello, who is this?”

The voice came in once more. “Goshenite, you need to go, now!”

“Heliodor?”

“Listen to me, the core has gone critical! Giganova is set to explode in less than five minutes! You need to get out of there!”

\- - -

A deep green starfighter streaked past the Interloper ships, headed straight for the dreadnaught. It seemed to draw the other Gem fighters towards it, avoiding the dreadnought’s cannons and aiming for its weak spots.

“Zoisite,” Tanzanite asked from the  _ Soul Evaporator _ ’s bridge, “how is the handling?”

“Nominal,” Zoisite answered from the cockpit of Emerald’s fighter ship. Her hair tendrils allowed her to adjust the subsystems while keeping her focus on what was ahead of her. “All fighters, aim for the fuel cells!”

Focusing fire on the dreadnought’s vulnerable points managed to draw the ire of the Interloper fighters. Zoisite rounded the larger ship, sending a barrage into the mass of smaller ones. Several of the fighters were destroyed, one crashing into the dreadnought’s hull.

Planetside, things were not looking well. Although defenses held up for the installation proper, the Oculus continued to tear chunks out of the world. It wouldn’t be long before it reached the core, and once it did, Giganova would be useless. “We are running out of time!” said Tanzanite. “Full speed, now! Bypass that Dreadnought!”

The  _ Soul Evaporator _ ’s engines ignited to their maximum, pushing it towards the Oculus’ arm. The dreadnought was not about to let them pass by that easily, and moved to block the ship’s path. The two vessels traded fire, with the  _ Soul _ ’s shields and the dreadnought’s armor preventing any critical damage from being done. At this rate, they would be unable to pass.

“Keep your speed!” said Zoisite. Sustained fire from her and the other Gem fighters had done some damage to the dreadnought’s fuel cell. With another bombing run, the armor had been almost completely burned through. Flying in for one last run with two fighters on her tail, Zoisite launched two missiles into the opening. The fuel erupted just as she passed over it, incinerating the two fighters behind her.

The detonated fuel started a chain reaction that spelled doom for the dreadnought, which began to drift down towards the planet below. With nothing blocking it, the  _ Soul Evaporator _ continued onto its destination. “Target approaching,” said Tanzanite. “Prepare to fire the Decimator.”

Seemingly unaware of their presence, the Oculus merely continued tearing into Mieren-VII. The  _ Soul _ ’s crew targeted the thinnest point in its armor. Even a weapon as powerful as the Decimator would not be able to destroy this target with one shot, but it could hopefully open up a path for the fighters to do so. “Target locked, Tanzanite.”

“Fire.”

A blinding blue beam shot forth from the front of the  _ Soul _ . Up close, it would certainly seem to have lived up to its name, but given the sheer size of the Oculus, the resulting damage amounted to little more than a scratch. However, this scratch was just what they needed to do some real damage.

“All fighters, on me!” commanded Zoisite. Her ship sped towards the tiny scratch in the Oculus, which was large enough to fit a battleship. As it was not expected that anyone would try to breach the station’s elbow, they found the interior thankfully undefended. “Do as much damage as you can!”

The small fleet opened fire, destroying anything that looked even remotely important. As lasers and missiles flew, the joint gradually began to come undone. Outside, Tanzanite noticed the Oculus’ arm begin to seize up. “It is working!” she exclaimed. “Continue your assault!”

They did, and before any Interlopers could arrive to stop them, a tremendous force rocked the entire area: the connectors had been severed. From the elbow up, the arm went limp, resting (relatively) harmlessly on the planet’s surface. “Success!” shouted Zoisite. “All fighters, egress!”

The Gem fighters returned to their respective motherships, and not a moment too soon, as a fleet of Interloper battleships were approaching. “Excellent work, everyone,” said Tanzanite. “Zoisite, return to the  _ Soul Evaporator _ . Everyone else, prepare for--”

A sudden sound prevented her from finishing: an urgent communication. It automatically opened, playing an audio-only message. “All ships, this is Supreme General Goshenite, Giganova has reached critical mass! Evacuate immediately, I repeat, evacuate immediately! That is an order!”

Tanzanite’s face went pale. “All hands, prepare for warp jump.”

\- - -

“Cease any and all engagements immediately, and retreat to a safe distance!” Goshenite all but shouted into her communicator. “We have less than five minutes until detonation!”

All around her, the installation’s defenses were beginning to fall. The shield keeping the Interlopers out was on its last legs. Warships approached from above, and more Apexes than Goshenite had ever seen surrounded them. Something had happened with one of the Oculus’ three arms, but it would only slow it down so much. Even if it wasn’t for Giganova, they would likely have to evacuate anyway.

Topaz staggered over to her. “My Goshenite, we don’t have long,” she said. “We have to go, now!”

“I know,” Goshenite replied. “Take Nines and Tenrit, and get to the  _ Xenocide _ . The flight crew should have it ready to fly, but you’ll have to hurry.”

“But...My Goshenite, I can’t leave you here!” Topaz said.

Goshenite looked over to Teptromina, who had begun to move again. He slowly hovered over to the wreckage of the elevator, which was now just a straight chute to the planet’s core. “You have to,” she said. “Someone has to stop him.”

She hurried over towards him, only for someone to grab onto her arm. “Miss Goshenite, don’t worry about him!” said Pearl, her eyes pleading. “You’ll never make it out of there!”

The planet shook as the Oculus tore out another chunk. The shields flickered, almost letting in an Apex. Teptromina grew closer to the precipice. Goshenite turned back to Pearl, and the others. “I have to,” she said. “If he destroys the core, he stops Giganova, and everything we did here would have been for nothing. Besides, there’s a warp pad down there, I might be able to--”

“Then let us all go!” said Nines. “We can stop him easier if there’s more of us, and then we’ll just warp back to our ships!”

“No, I can’t take that chance!” said Goshenite. “Go, now, that’s an order from the Supreme General!” In spite of her many wounds, she still commanded authority.

Reluctantly, Topaz turned away, setting off towards safety. Onyx followed, and Nines had to pull Tenrit away. Emerald gently nudged Pearl from behind, urging her to climb on her back. “Diamondspeed, Miss Goshenite,” Pearl said sadly.

Goshenite helped Pearl up, and Emerald met her gaze again. She placed a hand on her old rival’s snout. “There you go. I took care of her. Just like I promised I would.”

Letting out a low growl, Emerald gave one last look to Goshenite before running off after the others. Pearl looked over her shoulder, silently urging the white Beryl to join them. Of course, both knew that she couldn’t. Goshenite had a duty to Homeworld, and if that duty meant giving her life to protect it…

...then that was exactly what she would do.

Goshenite turned around just in time to see Teptromina disappear down the elevator shaft. Mustering up every last remaining bit of energy she could, she ran after him. “No you don’t!” She dove down after him.

Wind whipped across her face as she fell, speeding through the air like an arrow. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to slow down in time once she reached the bottom. She didn’t care; all that meant was that she would have to destroy Teptromina before they reached the bottom.

Soon enough, she caught sight of his shape down below. Doing her best to aim for him, she reached one hand back towards her gemstone. Just moments before the two met, she summoned her staff, and they collided. Teptromina spun out of control for a moment, Goshenite holding on tight. Once he regained enough control to stop spinning, Goshenite began striking him repeatedly.

“Get...OFF!” Teptromina threw her further down the shaft, following up with a flurry of beams. Goshenite held up her weapon to block them, but it did little good. They burned through her form, forcing her down further still. Her already-damaged left leg was shorn off completely, the severed appendage vanishing into light.

Not wanting to waste a single moment, Teptromina sped up towards her, grabbing her by the throat. He slammed her against the wall, scraping her against it as they raced downwards. She punched and kicked, but she was in no position to do any damage as her body tore through the metal. With what little of her mind she could reach, she summoned her weapon again.

Her staff shot out of her gemstone and speared through the wall, tearing her out of Teptromina’s grip. She grabbed hold of it, taking a moment as she hung there to get her bearings. Pain shot through her entire body, more than she thought the damage should have caused. She reached down to her gem, and that was when she felt it.

A crack. A small crack, running from the top-left corner down to the center. She immediately felt a chill run through her form. Although it wasn’t too big, it was more than enough to grow larger with more stress. If she should shatter before she stopped him…

Before she could contemplate the thought, she was snapped back into reality as Teprtomina fired several beams her way. Using her staff as a launchpad, she threw herself towards him and past the beams. The wall behind her exploded as she raced towards him.

The two met, tumbling through the air again, trading blow after blow. Goshenite grit her teeth and fought through the pain. If Teptromina knew she was cracked, he would follow up for sure. She couldn’t afford to show weakness.

Unable to form words, Teptromina simply growled and sputtered as he and Goshenite grappled. Beneath him, Goshenite saw something she had been dreading: the ground approaching. The worry on her face was apparent, as Teptromina picked up on it. Grabbing her again, he spun the two around, so that she would take the impact.

“You can’t  _ imagine _ how glad I’ll be to finally be rid of you!” he snarled, forcing her downward.

Goshenite fought against his grip as the ground grew closer and closer. “Actually…” She grabbed hold of his shoulders. “I think I can!” She pulled the two of them closer, slamming her head into his. Teptromina was disoriented for a moment, giving Goshenite just enough time to spin them around just as they landed.

Everything went black. No, white. Everything was white. No sound, no sights, no feelings.  _ Was...was I shattered? _ wondered Goshenite. She had hit the ground pretty hard, after all, even if Teptromina had taken the brunt of the impact.  _ Is this the great beyond? _ She quickly decided that no, it wasn’t, as her pain returned. And with it, her other senses as well.

Wincing, Goshenite got to her feet--or rather, foot. She quickly fell back down again. She looked up and saw Teptromina, looking just as battered as her, limping towards the Giganova core. He lifted his arms, firing a pair of beams into the sphere. The glass surrounding it began to crack.

Goshenite summoned her staff, using it as a brace, and staggered over to him. The core looked much more unstable that when she had last been down here, spinning rapidly and pulsing with energy. A low droning sound it emitted masked her approach. She braced herself, before leaping at him, latching one of her arms around his neck. The other lifted her staff, repeatedly driving the tip down into his armor, piercing through the metal.

Teptromina simply reached over her shoulder, grabbing Goshenite and throwing her to the ground. He aimed his hand at her, only for her to bash it aside with her staff. She thrust it into his midsection, pulling him down to the floor with her, where she attempted to get up once more.

Before she could, Teptromina tackled her back down. He pulled himself on top of her, throwing punch after punch into her face, giving her not a moment to retaliate. Unable to reach her staff, or her gem to summon another, all she could do was futilely bat at his arms. Goshenite fell back on her one last trick, as her body began to glow. Upon emitting her blinding flash, however, Teptromina kept on pummelling, not needing to see to do so, and too enraged to mind the pain.

Teptromina grabbed Goshenite’s head, lifting it off the ground before slamming it back down into the floor. Goshenite let out a groan of pain, feeling it not only on her head but on her gem as well; she was certain the crack had grown wider still.

Panting--or maybe growling in anger--Teptromina stared down at her. “If I die,” he said, “then you die with me.”

As much as she wanted to, Goshenite couldn’t think of any way to achieve anything else. “I can live with that,” she said, aware of the irony. Teptromina’s eye began to glow, and Goshenite braced for the beam to cut through her physical form.  _ At least this way _ , she thought,  _ I won’t feel it when Giganova detonates _ .

Before he could fire, however, Goshenite caught the slightest glimpse of something brownish-orange out of the corner of her vision. And then that same something came right in front of her: a curved blade dug itself into Teptromina’s optic, tearing through the metal and wires, and forcing him off of Goshenite. Flickering, the formerly invisible owner of the sickle became visible.

“C...Cairngorm?” said Goshenite, barely audible.

“Yup,” Cairngorm said, reaching out a hand. “What, you didn’t forget about me, did you?”

Goshenite chuckled in spite of the pain, taking her hand. “Get me out of this deathtrap,” she said.

“Will do,” said Cairngorm, placing Goshenite’s arm over her shoulders, and helping her over to the warp pad. “You saved my life, it’s only natural I return the favor.”

The core pulsed more violently than ever as the pair of Gems reached the pad. Teptromina pulled himself up, still functioning, but unable to stand. His nearly-destroyed eye met with Goshenite’s one last time. She had only one thing to say to him: “ _ Adamantem in Eternum _ .” The warp pad activated, pulling her and Cairngorm to safety, as Teptromina stared up at the core as the glass around it gave way.

The next thing Goshenite knew, she was on board the  _ Soul Evaporator _ . Gems surrounded her as Cairngorm helped her forwards, saying something she couldn’t hear about giving her space. She nearly dropped her once she saw the state of her gemstone, which is when Onyx took over. “Take it easy, Goshie, we’ve got you,” she said. Onyx carried her to the bridge, where Tanzanite, Zoisite, Pearl, and Emerald were waiting.

“Th...th’ window,” Goshenite mumbled, gesturing in whatever direction she thought Mieren-VII was. Pearl seemed to understand, motioning for Onyx to bring her over to the right side of the bridge, where many of the other Gems were gathered, waiting patiently and anxiously for the exact same thing.

At first, nobody could make out the planet that they had been on just minutes before. And then all at once, Project: Giganova unleashed its might. A red flash almost as bright as Mieren’s star, followed by an enormous wave of energy that seemed to eclipse every star in the sky. Even from here, Goshenite could feel the residual shockwaves reaching out from the blast. And then, just like that, a new gas giant sat where Mieren-VII, and the Oculus, had been.

Cheers erupted around Goshenite, but she herself could only muster a sigh of relief. Onyx whooped and hollered along with Cairngorm, lifting Goshenite up on her shoulder. Pearl was almost brought to tears as she watched the proverbial fireworks, hugging Emerald.

Zoisite eventually lowered Goshenite into a chair, and Tanzanite brought in some robonoids to tend to her cracks. The nanogel that filled them didn’t eliminate her pain and soreness, but it was cool to the touch and soothing nonetheless. Even though her communicator was lighting up with messages, she ignored them at first--she figured she had earned at least a little break.

Eventually, she answered the first message. “Goshenite? Goshenite!?” came Heliodor’s frantic voice. “I just received word of the detonation--were you clear!? Was anyone caught in the--”

“Relax, Heliodor,” Goshenite said. “Everyone made it out just fine.”

“And...and the Oculus?”

“Point-blank,” she replied. “Along with a couple hundred Interloper ships, troops, and the Primax himself.” Heliodor made a noise that sounded to Goshenite like one of relief. “So, does that mean we won?”

“Even if that blast didn’t destroy the Oculus, the resulting magneto-storm should keep it trapped, and cut off from the rest of the Interlopers,” Heliodor said. “Even if we didn’t win, we just guaranteed our victory.”

Goshenite sighed again, leaning back. “That’s the best news I’ve gotten since I heard Pink Diamond was still alive,” she said. “Possibly even better.”

She heard a strange hissing noise from Heliodor’s end. “Actually, about that, I received the strangest message while I was trying to contact you. I think it involves the Diamonds.”

Goshenite sat up again, concerned. “What kind of message?”

“Here, I’ll let her explain,” said Heliodor, before patching Goshenite over to the sender.

“Uh, hello?” the Gem said. “This is Amethyst Facet BR19 Cut 23R. I’ve been asked to contact every Homeworld colony, station, and ship to order a complete return to Homeworld, if possible. We’ve got a bit of a situation…”

“Is it the Interlopers!?” asked Goshenite, nearly jumping out of her seat. “What’s wrong!? Are we under attack!?”

“N-no, no, nothing like that,” answered the Amethyst. “It’s just that...well, you’ll have to come see for yourself. You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” And with that, the communication ended.

“And there you go,” Heliodor said. “Apparently, the Diamonds want everyone back on Homeworld, for whatever this unbelievable situation is.”

Goshenite chuckled. “We just dealt the killing blow against the Interlopers,” she said. “I doubt there’s anything that can surprise me at this point.”

The  _ Soul Evaporator _ , the  _ Xenocide _ , and countless other Gem ships made their way back to their home, unaware of exactly what they were in for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo boy, this one took a while! I worked hard on this one, so y'all better enjoy it! Oh, and uh, happy holidays.


	24. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Era-3 settles in, everything returns to normal.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Epilogue

\- - -

_ Earth, Rose’s fountain. Era 3, Year 1. _

Emerald opened her eyes. In the shimmery blue light she seemed to be surrounded on all sides by smooth white walls, and she sat on a smooth white floor. Slowly, she brought her hand over to her gemstone. As she ran her fingers over the green gem, she realized that her fingers were clawed, and a bushel of quills extended from her wrist. Worried, she examined the rest of herself, but found nothing amiss. Her other hand was normal. Her teeth were no longer fangs. She only had two eyes. It would seem her corruption had almost completely vanished.

It was at this point Emerald realized she was underwater.

She got to her feet, and saw that she was not alone. Dozens of Gems surrounded her, engaged in conversations with each other. Emerald looked down at her left hand, then back up at the Gems surrounding her. Almost every single one of them had some sort of feature similar to hers. Many had fangs, horns, or other monstrous features, while a few were completely unrecognizable from their base forms, but all of them, regardless of class or type, looked more than happy to be there.

Thinking she couldn’t be surprised any further, Emerald looked up, and saw all three Diamonds sitting in the pool. Startled, she staggered back, and fell over with a splash. She rubbed her eyes, unsure if what she was seeing was real. Yellow, White, and Blue were still there, chatting amongst themselves. Yellow and White looked happier than Emerald had ever seen them, and Blue looked happy, period. Emerald looked to the sky, and...hang on--was she on Earth? What was going on?”

“My Emerald?”

Emerald gasped. She slowly turned around. At the edge of the pool stood Onyx, Tanzanite, Nines, Tenrit, and Pearl. “Pearl…” Emerald said. “Is this...am I…?”

Onyx chuckled. “No, you’re not dead, if that’s what you’re wondering. Actually, it’s kinda the opposite. See, it’s like…” She struggled to find the words. “Tanz, you wanna take this one?”

“Certainly,” said Tanzanite. “My Emerald, your corruption has been cured. As has the corruption of the Gems caught in the Diamonds’ attack on Earth.”

“Wait, you mean…” Emerald looked around. “This is...What happened to me happened to all of these Gems?”

“Looks like it,” said Nines. “Oh, and uh, there’s a bit more you missed. See--”

“Maybe we should ease her into this,” suggested Tenrit, seated at the edge of the pool, staring at his reflection. “She’s had a tough enough time as it is.”

“Am I…” Emerald glanced at her hand once more. “Am I really back?”

Pearl lowered herself into the water, walking over to Emerald. Slowly, she reached out her hands and wrapped them around her, nuzzling her head against Emerald’s chest. “I think so,” she said. “For good this time, too.”

Emerald took a moment to let all of it sink in. “I’m back,” she said quietly. “I’m...I’m back!” She couldn’t help but laugh in joy and relief, lifting Pearl above her head. “I’m back! We’re all back!” She spun around, both her and Pearl laughing with tears of joy in their eyes. She pulled Pearl into a tight hug, each Gem holding the other close. “But how? How did you...did anyone...what happened?”

“I think I can answer that.” Emerald turned around, and was greeted by Goshenite in the pool as well.

“G-Goshenite,” said Emerald. “You’re here too?”

She nodded. “Of course. I had to fix my gemstone after that scuffle, didn’t I?”

“What scuffle?” asked Emerald. “Wait, did something happen to your gem?”

“Goshenite, don’t confuse her more,” said Pearl. “It’s nothing you need to worry about, My Emerald. Everything’s okay now. More than okay. The Diamonds made peace with Earth!”

“Peace? With  _ Earth _ !?” Emerald exclaimed. “How did  _ that _ happen? Seriously, what did I miss!?”

Goshenite approached, putting a hand on Emerald’s shoulder. “That’s the secret, right there.” She pointed over towards a small human sitting in the pool, surrounded by many of the Gems. “He’s the one who made this all possible.”

“I...Rose Quartz?” said Emerald.

“Actually, Pink Diamond,” said Pearl. “But actually Steven. That’s what he calls himself.”

Emerald stared ahead for a moment, before chuckling to herself. “Someone’s going to have to sit me down and explain everything I missed, because none of this is making  _ any _ sense.”

A splash to her side alerted Emerald that Onyx had entered the pool. “Hey, don’t worry about that,” she said, throwing her arm around Emerald. “The Interlopers are gone, the empire’s at peace, Era-3’s off to a good start--and like you said, you're all back. Why don’t we take it easy for a bit, huh?”

“I agree,” said Goshenite. “I could use a break. I think we all could.”

“You got that right!” said Tenrit, entering the pool beside them. “Hey, it’s good to have you back, Mera.”

Emerald smirked. “It’s good to be back.”

Onyx laughed. “Hey, everybody get in here!” She threw out her hands, scooping Pearl, Emerald, and Goshenite into a massive hug. Tenrit joined in, and Tanzanite and Nines came over to join them, as did Topaz and Cairngorm. Although a million questions raced through Emerald’s head, right now, she was content right where she was.

There was a splash beside them as a Gem rose from the water. “What did I miss?” asked Uvarovite.

\- - -

_ Homeworld, Goshenite’s residence. Two weeks later. _

Goshenite stood on her balcony, overlooking the city. She wasn’t sure exactly how, but it seemed like the lights of Homeworld shined even brighter now that they. no longer had to worry about going to war. Not with Earth, not with the Interlopers, not with anyone. There hadn’t been peace in thousands of years, and the whole planet was just so...peaceful.

Sensing someone behind her, Goshenite grinned. “I already know you’re here. No sense in hiding.”

Cairngorm materialized, holding her hand over her gemstone and wearing a disappointed expression. “Aww, but I covered my gem and everything! How’d you know it was me?”

“Because I don’t know any other Cairngorms,” said Goshenite. “What brings you here?”

“I came to tell you that you have a visitor,” Cairngorm said, leaning up against the railing.

Goshenite nodded. “I can see that.”

“Not me,” said Cairngorm, pointing towards the door.

“The door to the balcony slid open. “Hi, Miss Goshenite!” exclaimed Pearl, running over to the white Gem, Emerald walking behind her.

“Hey, there she is!” said Goshenite, as she and Pearl hugged. “Have you been helping Emerald adjust?”

“Mm-hmm!” Pearl nodded. “It’s been really easy, actually--she says this is how she always wished Homeworld could be!”

Goshenite looked up at Emerald. “Well, maybe not  _ exactly _ like this,” said the green Gem, taking a place on the balcony next to Pearl. “But still, a lot like this. Off-colors no longer being persecuted, planets no longer being stripped of life. I had always dreamed of a Homeworld like this.”

“I have to admit,” said Goshenite, “I think I like this new Homeworld. Era-3 is definitely better than Era-2. Much more cheerful, at least.”

“Mm.” Emerald stared out at the skyline. “And to think, all it took was Pink Diamond coming back from the dead.”

“You seemed to take that well,” Goshenite noticed. “I honestly thought you would freak out when you heard that Pink Diamond was Rose Quartz. But you really took it in stride.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far,” Emerald said. “It was definitely a shock, that’s for sure. But it makes sense in hindsight. Pink Diamond always did have a fondness for organics and their quirks.”

“So do you,” said Goshenite. The two chuckled.

“I suppose so,” said Emerald. “I just hope that this Steven person is a good replacement.”

“Hey, he finished what Pink started,” Goshenite said. “If he could do that, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“True,” Emerald added.

The two sat in silence for a moment, just admiring their surroundings. Eventually Goshenite spoke up. “So, I suppose you have a reason for being here? Showing up unannounced and all.”

“Well, yes,” said Emerald. “I do have something to discuss, but I really did want to see you. I wouldn’t have come here in person if I didn’t.”

“Huh.” Goshenite turned to face Emerald. “So does this mean we’re friends now?”

Emerald thought for a moment. “Huh. I guess it does,” she said. “How about that?”

“Never would have expected this,” Goshenite said. “The two of us, friends.”

“Of course,” Emerald said. “You helped watch out for Pearl, after all.”

“She did!” Pearl affirmed.

“I just wanted to return the favor,” Goshenite said.

“Hmm? What favor?” asked Emerald.

“I...it’s hard to explain,” Goshenite said. “In the past few thousand years, I’ve been...sort of following your example. You’ve always been so compassionate, and determined, and I wanted to be like that too. I guess you could say I’ve been emulating you.”

“Wow…” said Emerald. “I-I don’t really know what to say.”

Goshenite grinned. “Don’t say anything, then. Except what you came here to tell me, of course.”

“Oh, right, that,” Emerald said. “It’s nothing, really, just a rumor. Tanzanite tells me that there was some commotion around the Alpus sector. Word is that some Gems saw a fleet of Interloper transports in the area, but there’s no evidence.”

“You think it’s true, then?” asked Goshenite. “You think they aren’t gone for good?”

“Anything’s possible,” Emerald said. “If there’s a chance that they’re still out there, then it’s our job to finish them off. Especially if My Diamond’s talks of dismantling her armies are to be believed.”

“I’ll definitely help out!” said Pearl. “And I’m sure Tanzanite and Onyx will, too!”

“You can count me in,” said Cairngorm. “I can go and fetch Nines and Tenrit if you’d like.”

“Looks like this war of ours isn’t over quite yet, eh, Mera?” said Goshenite.

“Not yet,” said Emerald. “But you can guarantee that I’ll fight to the last to protect this.”

“Huh? Protect what?” asked Pearl.

“All of this,” said Emerald, gesturing towards Pearl, and sweeping her arm across the cityscape. “My friends. My home. Because all of it is worth fighting for.” She and Goshenite shared a glance. “What do you say we finish this fight for good?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And happy end! Thank you all for reading this, I really hope you enjoyed! And rest assured, this isn't the end of Emerald's story--nor is it the beginning. Wait, what does that mean? Well, maybe we'll find out in the next episode! Stay tuned!


End file.
